With two weeks remaining in the summer transfer window, the makeup of the Manchester City midfield is far from certain. So far, Bernardo Silva and Rodri have left the club. Tijjani Reijnders is set to follow them. The future of Nico Gonzalez is also in doubt. David Ornstein has reported that Newcastle United are exploring a move for the Spanish midfielder. At this point, Enzo Maresca looks short of options in midfield. There is no doubt that City will seek to bolster their midfield with new signings. However, a positional shift for Nico O’Reilly will also give Enzo Maresca another quality midfield option. In fact, on closer inspection, it is a move that has plenty of merit.
Putting the prospect of new signings to one side, moving Nico O’Reilly into makes sense for Manchester City.
There is little doubt that Manchester City will bring in midfielders via the transfer market before the window closes. Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez are two players that City have been heavily linked with. Putting that aside, Enzo Maresca may be forced to shift a player into midfield until the City hierarchy make the required signings. Nico O’Reilly is the prime candidate to move from left-back to midfield.
Nico O’Reilly has risen to prominence playing at left-back. His breakout 2025-26 season came from playing in that position. However, City do have cover to facilitate shifting Nico O’Reilly into midfield. Josko Gvardiol and Rayan Ait-Nouri can both play the position. Both players could invert into midfield when Manchester City have possession depending on who is playing at right-back for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Nico O’Reilly is a midfielder. He has played in midfield throughout his time in Manchester City’s academy system. He also slotted into midfield on multiple occasions for Pep Guardiola last season. O’Reilly’s technical ability is superb and his ability to get forward from midfield would complement the play of Elliot Anderson. Especially, if Anderson plays as a six.
Also, by moving Nico O’Reilly into midfield Manchester City would be adding Nico O’Reilly’s physical attributes to their engine room. Winning duels and physical battles is crucial to success in the Premier League. Shifting Nico O’Reilly into midfield would bolster this area of Manchester City’s play.
For City’s clash with Bournemouth, Enzo Maresca will have to use what he has in his squad.
Manchester City take on Bournemouth this Sunday to begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign at the Etihad Stadium. It would seem highly unlikely that any midfielders that City sign would be available for this match. If they are signed in time to be available for the match. If this proves to be the case, Enzo Maresca will have to utilize the options he has in his current squad to form his midfield pivot.
Elliot Anderson seems a certain starter for this weekend’s match. Who partners him isn’t as clear. Mateo Kovacic has started all four of Manchester City’s preseason matches. Maybe he will be preferred. Rico Lewis is another option. Nico Gonzalez is another, but that seems unlikely. Perhaps this weekend is the setting to play a midfield trio of Anderson, O’Reilly and Phil Foden. That would give City an athletic and technically gifted midfield. Perhaps that is the obvious midfield solution for Enzo Maresca to go with against Bournemouth.
As of right now, Manchester City are short of midfield options. Perhaps it is time to move Nico O’Reilly into midfield to give the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders a stronger midfield mix. There is no doubt that midfield reinforcements will arrive via the transfer market for Enzo Maresca. However, the issue is that they may not be signed in time for this weekend’s match against Bournemouth, so Nico O’Reilly may be the prime candidate to move into midfield.