Midfield Overhaul Pushes City To Top Spot in Summer Window Grades
Manchester City reshaped their middle of the pitch this summer after securing Enzo Fernandez for £125m alongside Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi, and Iliman Ndiaye. Manager Enzo Maresca now commands a younger squad built around central passing control and direct forward running following the departures of Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Savio, and John Stones.
Enzo Maresca Reshapes Manchester City Central Passing and Defensive Structure
Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson give Manchester City a brand-new central setup aimed at dictating play from deep and linking directly with Ndiaye in attack. Sky Sports rated City’s transfer window at 9/10 as the club prioritized high-grade technical talent in central areas to adjust for losing experienced defensive stability in John Stones and Rodri.
Arsenal
clubAcross the rest of the league, Arsenal added midfield control with Bruno Guimaraes for £75m while adding Ezri Konsa and Piero Hincapie to strengthen their defensive line under Mikel Arteta. Manchester United reshaped their central midfield using Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos, and Youri Tielemans to increase energy under Michael Carrick, while Chelsea added attack-minded running through Morgan Rogers under manager Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool brought in Bradley Barcola for £123m to refresh their attack under Andoni Iraola alongside central defender Ronald Araujo. The exits of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konate leave significant experience to replace across the pitch.
Chelsea
club| Club | Key Summer Arrivals | Headline Fee | Sky Sports Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Iliman Ndiaye | £125m | 9/10 |
| Chelsea | Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Emiliano Martinez | £117m | 8.5/10 |
| Manchester United | Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans | £70m | 7.5/10 |
| Arsenal | Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa, Piero Hincapie | £75m | 7/10 |
| Liverpool | Bradley Barcola, Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo | £123m | 7/10 |
Data and window ratings according to Sky Sports.