Manchester City's boss Maresca offers no clarity on Rodri’s future

Enzo Maresca opted to remain tight-lipped about Rodri's future at Manchester City on Friday amid speculation linking the club's star midfielder with a move to Barcelona, saying "anything can happen" before the end of the transfer window.

The uncertainty comes after an apparent photo of Rodri travelling from Madrid to Liverpool on a budget Ryanair flight went viral on social media, with the former Ballon d'Or winner spotted carrying a small suitcase featuring his name, national team flag and squad number.

"First of all, we already said the transfer window is open, we can buy and sell players, anything can happen," Maresca told reporters ahead of Sunday's Community Shield clash against Premier League champions Arsenal in Cardiff.

"I've just seen Rodri now in the building, I gave him a big hug, he looks good, so we'll see what happens."

Maresca said Spain World Cup-winning captain is fit to return to training after undergoing back surgery at the end of July.

Asked about reports that Chelsea had set a Friday deadline for bids for the London club's Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez and whether City would be able to make a move in the next 24 hours, Maresca smiled and said the club will not make any new signings on Friday.

While talk of Rodri, an important part of City's success in recent years, potentially leaving the club has dominated the headlines, Maresca insisted he was focused on Sunday's final rather than the transfer window.

"For sure there are things we need to do. For now, how many, I don't know. It can be one, it can be two (players)," he said. "Depends also if players are going to leave. It depends.

"Now in this moment, 48 hours before a final, my first in this club, my focus is not about players leaving or arriving, it's just how we can prepare the best way in the game and try to win the final."

The Italian rejected the fact that the Community Shield, which is contested between the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners, should be viewed as a glorified friendly, insisting Manchester City were determined to start the season with silverware.

"For me personally it's a trophy. And when the trophy is there, the final is there, you always try to win the game," Maresca said. "So no friendly at all. It's a trophy that we're going to try our best to win, to win the first trophy."