'He is a winner' – Maresca hails Enzo Fernandez after club-record move

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says Enzo Fernández's winning mentality made him an irresistible signing, revealing that several City players repeatedly asked if the Argentine midfielder would join before the blockbuster transfer was completed.

The midfielder arrives at the Etihad Stadium as part of City's ambitious midfield rebuild, with the Premier League giants investing more than £300 million on Fernández, Elliot Anderson, and Ayyoub Bouaddi ahead of the new season.

Speaking to Manchester City's official media channels, Maresca said Fernández's mentality is as valuable as his footballing ability.

“He knows how to win, World Cup, Club World Cup, and the main thing is that he's a winner,” Maresca said.

The Italian coach believes players with that pedigree naturally elevate the atmosphere within elite squads.

He added, “When you belong to a squad and another winning player arrives, they are always happy.”

Maresca also revealed that excitement over Fernández's arrival had been building inside the dressing room before the transfer was finalised. According to the City boss, several players repeatedly checked on the progress of negotiations during the closing days of the transfer window.

“I can promise you that in the last four or five days, four or five players were asking if he's coming or not because they want him with us,” he revealed.

He said, “It's very important that he's with us, and we are 100% happy with that, and he's ready to play.”