Manchester City go into Saturday’s match against Coventry with the same central striker question that has followed the club since the transfer window closed. Enzo Maresca used his pre-match press conference on 17 September 2026 to give his clearest answer yet, confirming how he plans to manage Erling Haaland’s workload now Omar Marmoush has left for Tottenham Hotspur.
Latest update: Maresca assesses striker options
Speaking ahead of the Coventry fixture, Maresca was asked directly whether he felt comfortable heading into the season without a recognised replacement for Haaland. He confirmed that he was, despite Marmoush’s exit leaving Haaland as City’s only senior centre-forward on the books.
It is a notable position for a club competing on multiple fronts, and it puts extra weight on how Maresca rotates his attacking players around Haaland rather than simply swapping him out. You can read the manager’s earlier remarks in our original coverage of Maresca’s comments, which first set out his thinking on this issue earlier in the month.
Semenyo confirmed as alternative to Haaland
Maresca’s solution centres on Antoine Semenyo. The manager confirmed that Semenyo can provide City with a genuine alternative to Haaland, even though the forward has mostly played from the flank since his January move from AFC Bournemouth.
Semenyo has started both of City’s Premier League matches this season, underlining the trust Maresca already places in him. His impact was clear in the 4-1 win at Crystal Palace, where he supplied the cross that set up Haaland’s opening goal.
Maresca’s comments do not signal a permanent shift in Semenyo’s role. Instead, they point to a forward capable of switching between the flank and a more central position when City need to freshen up their attack or manage Haaland’s minutes through a busy fixture list.
That flexibility is exactly what Maresca wants from his squad this season. Rather than searching for a direct like-for-like replacement, he is asking established players to cover more than one job.
Omar Marmoush transfer news: loan move leaves striker gap
The latest Omar Marmoush transfer news confirms his departure was completed as a loan move to Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window. That switch is the direct reason City now have only one recognised senior centre-forward on their books.
Marmoush had offered Maresca a squad option who could operate through the middle when Haaland needed a rest or faced fitness concerns. With that option gone, Maresca has had to find alternative solutions from within his existing squad rather than relying on a new arrival.
The move also explains why questions about City’s forward depth have persisted since the window shut, and why Maresca’s press conference answers on the subject have drawn close attention from supporters and reporters alike this week.
City have not commented on any plans to recall Marmoush from his loan or to sign a replacement striker in the near future. For now, the club’s approach is built entirely around the players already at Maresca’s disposal.
What happens next for Manchester City’s frontline
Deadline Day arrival Iliman Ndiaye adds a further layer to Maresca’s planning. His signing gives the manager another recognised option in wide areas, which in turn could free Semenyo to play more centrally when required.
None of this points to City actively pursuing a new centre-forward before the next transfer window. Maresca’s comments make clear he is working with the options already available to him, built around Haaland, Semenyo and Ndiaye.
For a wider look at where City stand across the squad, our latest Manchester City news round-up covers the other selection issues facing Maresca this month. Supporters weighing up how the club has handled forward depth before may also find it useful to compare this situation with previous striker recruitment strategies the club has used in past windows.
For now, the picture looks settled rather than uncertain. Haaland remains the focal point of the attack, Semenyo is confirmed as his central alternative, and Maresca has the personnel he needs heading into the Coventry match.
Whether that arrangement holds beyond this weekend will depend on results and on how Haaland’s workload is managed across the coming weeks. Maresca’s public position, at least for now, is that his current squad is enough.
