Dias: New Man City signings desperate to win

New Manchester City captain Ruben Dias says the players who joined the club over the summer are "desperate to win" and the entire squad has fully embraced the vision of new head coach Enzo Maresca.

City spent a Premier League record £458m during the summer transfer window, bringing in players including midfield trio Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi. At the same time, the club recouped more than £300m through sales, losing experienced figures such as 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, former captain Bernardo Silva and England international John Stones.

Dias joined City from Benfica for £65m in 2020 and has long been part of the club's leadership group. He has now been given the captain's armband.

New manager, new approach

Maresca replaced legendary coach Pep Guardiola, who stepped down after 10 years in charge at the end of last season. Before taking the City job, Maresca served as Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad Stadium and later had spells in charge of Leicester City and Chelsea.

Dias acknowledged that Guardiola's departure was a difficult moment for the club, but described Maresca as the "perfect person for the job" given his deep familiarity with the club's inner workings. According to Dias, the new manager has introduced changes to training sessions as well as details in the team's pressing and defensive play, and the squad has bought into these ideas with enthusiasm.

City have started the season with four straight wins across the Premier League and Champions League, but face a tougher test with an away trip to Manchester United on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Dias is one of only four players remaining from City's 2023 Treble-winning squad, alongside Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rico Lewis. Last summer he extended his contract with the club until 2029, with an option for a further year, saying he remains highly ambitious and excited about this new chapter in the club's history.