Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana believes Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi can replicate the impact of departing midfield icons Rodri and Bernardo Silva at the Etihad Stadium.
Viana masterminded the signing of the trio for a combined £327 million ($439 million) during the transfer window as City embark on a major rebuild following the departure of manager Pep Guardiola and several key players at the end of last season.
Spain World Cup winner Rodri has joined Barcelona, while Portugal playmaker Silva moved to Real Madrid, leaving City without two of the most influential players of their recent era.
Rodri and Silva helped City win multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League, among numerous other trophies.
Viana, however, believes Fernandez, Anderson and Bouaddi can eventually fill the void left by the pair.
‘We cannot forget that we lost very important players in the midfield position like Rodri and Bernardo,’ Viana told City’s media channels on Wednesday.
‘It’s important to bring the quality but also the character and the mentality that Enzo has. He’s been here for three weeks and it seems that he was here for a year or two already.
‘He’s that kind of player with the mentality that we were looking for in that position because Rodri and Bernardo were really important in the last decade of the club.
‘We all believe that Enzo, Bouaddi and Anderson can be as important as Rodri and Bernardo in the past.’
City make major midfield investment
Fernandez arrived from Chelsea for a joint-British record £125 million, while Anderson cost £116 million from Nottingham Forest and Bouaddi was valued at £86 million in his move from Lille.
Viana said City’s investment in Anderson reflects their belief that the England international can become a long-term cornerstone of the squad.
‘He’s just been with us for two months. He will develop even more,’ Viana said.
‘We knew that we had to spend a big transfer fee on him. That means we really believe he will be a Manchester City player for five, six, seven years. He will be a really important player for sure.’
Bouaddi viewed as Rodri successor
Morocco international Bouaddi also impressed during the recent World Cup, strengthening City’s belief that the 18-year-old can eventually become their long-term option in Rodri’s position.
Viana said City identified the midfielder as a priority target early in the transfer window.
‘It’s a very high ceiling for him. We all believe that he can be a really important player,’ he said.
‘It’s a position that we thought we could have to be very decisive during this transfer window, and Bouaddi was always the target.’
City’s sizeable investment in the midfield trio underlines the scale of their transition, with the club banking on Fernandez, Anderson and Bouaddi to form the core of a new midfield era.