There may still be more movement out of the club as Rodri's future continues to be the subject of discussion, and Savinho appears keen on a switch to Tottenham Hotspur.
Gvardiol signs until 2031
Elliot Anderson has already been secured from Nottingham Forest, potentially as a replacement for Rodri, and other incomings are expected in due course as Maresca seeks to continue on the path that the club has been on under Guardiola.
Having lost three centre-backs already this summer, Josko Gvardiol needed to be retained, and not only have City managed to do just that, but they've extended the Croatian's stay at the club until 2031, after the 24-year-old put pen to paper on a new five-year deal.
Gvardiol's importance to his club can't be understated.
As adept on the left side of defence as he is more centrally, the Croatian has also been a supplementary presence up front when required, scoring 13 goals in his 122 appearances to date for City.
He has also contributed to the winning of six trophies in the three years since his arrival, namely the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the Community Shield.
City in no doubt as to defender's importance
Man City's Director of Football, Hugo Viana, was in no doubt at all as to what the player brings to the squad.
“Josko epitomises what we want in our defenders - he can play multiple positions, is quick, strong, and when he attacks, he does it superbly. He is exceptional," Viana noted.
“But the way he conducts himself is also very impressive. This is a young man determined to be the best he can be - an approach that is totally aligned with our overall vision."
A towering presence
A towering presence at the back, his availability for selection has ensured that only Silva and Phil Foden have played more games since his arrival, with Gvardiol starting all but 10 of the matches he's been involved in.
His combative nature and physical attributes mean that opposition attackers rarely get the better of him, and his 65.88% tackle success is only bettered by Matheus Nunes, whilst the 275 clearances he's made to date are also the second-best in the squad, with Ruben Dias taking the top spot in this regard with 344.
As might be expected, too, Gvardiol's aerial presence has seen to it that of the 298 headed duels he's contested, 163 have been won, whilst a 57.64% success in ground one-to-ones has made life difficult for opponents trying to get the better of him.
Only Dias, Silva and Rodri have made more passes than Gvardiol's 7,887, of which 7,154 found their target for an astonishing 90.71% completion.
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Very quick for a big man
What's perhaps less celebrated, but as important if not more so than some other areas of Gvardiol's game, is his pace.
Unusually for a big man, the Croatian is quick across the ground, extremely nimble and mobile, and rarely beaten in a foot race.
Indeed, this is particularly noticeable when playing as a left-back, as the player can often be found sprinting past his winger and overlapping on the outside.
With City now having ensured the player's commitment until 2031, that means Gvardiol will be spending what's considered a player's peak years at the club.
“I have felt so much love and respect during my three years here, and I don’t take that for granted," the defender noted recently.
“The players we have here are amazing. This is a world-class squad that is young and full of potential. I truly believe we will have a lot of success in the coming years.”
If there is to be further success for a squad that has become used to it during the Guardiola years, then Gvardiol is sure to play the biggest of parts in achieving that.
A football marriage made in heaven, you might say...
Jason Pettigrove has been the features writer for Flashscore since 2025, utilising Opta data to form the basis of his articles. He has previously worked for high profile football clubs, news and media outlets, both in print and digital, and can usually be found watching FC Barcelona when time permits. You can read more of his pieces here.
