admin Manchester City’s starting XI might look very different after the summer transfer window with new signings and departures expected.
The summer transfer window won’t go exactly as Manchester City had planned, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come out stronger.
The departure ofIlkay Gündogan will be a heavy blow. Not only have City lost their captaincy for the fourth straight year, but this time around he’s also a player who is arguably playing the best football of his career and is still a staple of Pep Guardiola’s squad.
Gundogan scored twice in the FA Cup final and scored two more in key games to secure the Premier League title. He’s started every important game for City and is still at his best, unlike Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Fernandinho who were before he left.
Guardiola and everyone else at the club are desperate for him to stay, but he is expected to join Barcelona when his Etihad contract expires at the end of the month. It will require some changes but City have already made a promising start.
Mateo Kovacic underwent a medical on Friday as City were close to signing with Chelsea. While the 29-year-old is not a player to shorten the Blues midfielder’s age, he certainly shares many similarities with the outgoing Gundogan.
Kovacic is a dynamic midfielder who enjoys taking on solid challenges and winning loose balls as much as playing flowing passes.
Whether he can replace Gundogan’s goal threat or provide what Guardiola is asking of him remains to be seen, but he has the technical skills that should make him a candidate for City.
However, he is not seen by the club as Gündogan’s direct successor and is not the only focus of the midfielder. City’s lack of options down the middle was somewhat masked by John Stones’ stunning transformation last season, but they’re pretty paltry with the numbers, especially after Gündogan’s departure.
With Kalvin Phillips looking unfavorable for Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne likely to miss the start of the season through injury, more signings are needed. City lost Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid, so they turned to Declan Rice.
The West Ham talisman continued to shine in one of the Premier League’s weakest sides, guiding the Hammers to European triumph last season. Rice is set to leave London’s stadium this summer and despite City being Arsenal’s main target, he is considering a takeover.
Whether City will give up the £100m West Ham are asking for their captain remains to be seen, but if they do it would be a great transfer.
Rice might be a little rough these days, but he’s got a great run, great passing feel and can be aggressive with the press. It’s exciting to think how much he could improve under Guardiola.
The defense ofis another key position that the city needs to strengthen. Joao Cancelo and Aymeric Laporte appear to be heading for the exit and Kyle Walker’s future is also uncertain. If only one full-back remains, City could do without his replacement after having managed easily without Cancelo when loaned to Bayern Munich.
John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji could function as full-backs this season, while Rico Lewis and Walker serve as reserves. Should the two drop out, however, a replacement should be signed.
Until then, a new centre-back is a priority, especially in the event of Laporte’s departure. RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol is the prime target and despite having a bounty on his head, he would bring steel, strength and a huge aerial threat to the side.
Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez could also leave and if they do City will need to sign another striker but ideally both stay, leaving City with plenty of attacking options with Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez.
City’s best possible XI next season: Ederson; Pietre, Guardiol, Toboga, Ake; Rodry, Rice, DeBruyne; Foden, Haaland, Grealish.
