Malo Gusto: Maresca's First Target for Manchester City
Enzo Maresca has not even been unveiled at the Etihad yet, but the outline of his Manchester City already has a familiar face in it.
According to reports, the incoming City manager is pushing hard for a reunion with Malo Gusto, the French right‑back he worked with at Chelsea, as he starts to shape a squad capable of following Pep Guardiola without falling into the shadow of the man he replaces.
Maresca moves fast
City have reached an agreement on compensation with Chelsea and are poised to confirm Maresca as Guardiola’s successor. The Italian walked away from Stamford Bridge in January, only months after delivering the Club World Cup at the end of his first season, and now steps into one of the most daunting roles in modern football.
The warning signs are clear. Manchester United’s handover from Sir Alex Ferguson to David Moyes and Arsenal’s from Arsene Wenger to Unai Emery showed how unforgiving the transition from a legendary manager can be. Maresca is determined not to be a caretaker of decline. He wants his players, his profiles, his dressing room.
That plan initially pointed straight back at Chelsea. Cole Palmer, the breakout star of last season, and Enzo Fernandez, the World Cup‑winning midfielder, both appeared on his wishlist. Chelsea’s stance has been firm. Palmer is described as “untouchable”, the centrepiece of their rebuild, while Real Madrid are leading the chase for Fernandez, who is open to a move.
So Maresca has turned his gaze to another of his former charges.
Gusto in the crosshairs
Malo Gusto has emerged as a live target for City after their pursuit of Inter defender Marco Palestra hit a wall. Chelsea agreed a £51m deal for Palestra, closing that avenue and forcing City’s recruitment team to redraw their defensive shortlist.
Gusto sits near the top of it. Chelsea, preparing to welcome Palestra to west London, are understood to want at least £40m to even consider parting with the 23‑year‑old. Earlier this week, reports suggested the club were not ruling out a sale, a notable shift for a player who has become a fixture in their side.
Signed from Lyon in 2023 for £31m, Gusto has racked up 134 appearances across three seasons, a remarkable level of involvement for a young full‑back adapting to a new league and expectations. His energy, willingness to attack and ability to play high and wide would slot neatly into a City team that has long relied on its full‑backs to stretch opponents and control the tempo.
Right now, he is on an even bigger stage. Gusto is with France at the World Cup, part of a squad widely tipped to go deep into the tournament. He came off the bench in their 3-0 win over Iraq on Monday, another small marker in a career that is gathering pace.
If Maresca gets his way, those surging runs could soon be lighting up the Etihad.
City’s summer juggling act
Defence is not City’s only concern. Their priority this summer remains a new midfielder, with England World Cup standout Elliot Anderson at the top of their list. City have already seen a second bid worth £120m knocked back by Nottingham Forest and are weighing up a third offer as they test Forest’s resolve.
It is a delicate balance: reshape the squad for a new manager without tearing up the foundations that made City the dominant force of the Guardiola era. Under the Catalan, City became the benchmark in English football and closed last season with a domestic cup double, even as the Premier League title slipped away.
Guardiola’s final league campaign ended seven points behind new champions Arsenal, a reminder that the margin for error at the top has shrunk. Maresca inherits a winning machine that has shown the first hints of vulnerability.
That is why the details matter now. The right‑back who can give him width. The midfielder who can refresh the core. The signings that signal this is not a nostalgia act, not a pale imitation of Guardiola’s blueprint, but a City side with Maresca’s imprint.
If Chelsea open the door, Malo Gusto could be the first piece of that new era.
