Maresca Discusses Reijnders' Potential Exit from Manchester City
Enzo Maresca cut a realistic figure as he addressed Tijani Reijnders’ future at Manchester City, admitting that once a player is set on leaving, there is often little a manager can do.
Asked if Reijnders’ situation mirrors that of Omar Marmoush and James Trafford, whose frustrations over game time last season have shaped their present, Maresca didn’t dodge it.
“Probably, yes,” he said. “They all work every day, they do sessions every day and at the end of the week they all want to play a game. When they don't play, they struggle to understand or see the reason why.
“I can understand that after one season, some of them would like to play a little bit more. It's a normal situation.”
The theme was clear: ambition and impatience are part of the modern dressing room. And when a player feels his career is on pause, pressure builds.
Pressed on whether he has managed to convince Reijnders to stay, Maresca sounded resigned rather than combative.
“It's a bit difficult to convince players when they are already convinced, it's not always easy. It's Tijani's situation.
“I think when the club, players, manager, they all think in the same way, that is probably the best decision for a player to go? They go.”
No grand stand-off. No public power play. Just a manager acknowledging that alignment between all parties often points to the exit door.
A Role Maresca Had Already Mapped Out
What makes the situation more delicate is that Maresca clearly had a plan for Reijnders this season.
“Tij is not officially done, but we'll see in the next hour,” he revealed, underlining how close the decision now feels. “I already spoke with him a few times in pre-season, then we will see if he is going to leave or if he is going to stay, we try to…”
The Italian then lifted the lid on how highly he rates the midfielder’s recent work.
“In the way he was playing in the pre-season games, I was quite happy with his performance overall. I know Tij from Italy, from Milan when he was there so I know him quite well.
“I know there he was playing in a different position, he likes to play a little more deep rather than high up the pitch, but again in the pre-season he was good, then we'll see what happens and we'll decide.”
Maresca sees a deeper role for Reijnders, closer to the build-up rather than the final third. The player, though, stands at a crossroads, with his future being weighed up in real time.
The clock is ticking. The manager is ready either way. The next move belongs to Reijnders.
