Having spent more than £100m, Manchester City’s new boss Pep Guardiola will expect great things from the new squad that he has assembled at the Etihad. The manager has not made any stellar signings that will keep everyone glued but he has definitely been able to get his hands on some of the brightest talents in Europe to help him in his fight for glory in his debut season in England. The likes of Nolito, Claudio Bravo and John Stones improve their own areas on the field but one player who might have an all-round impact on the squad is German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
Moving into the spotlight with impressive title winnings seasons under Jürgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, Gundogan was regarded as one of the best midfielders in Germany but constant injuries saw him never allowed him to fulfill his true potential. However, he has taken his time to recover and has recently revealed he is ready to come back strongly giving Guardiola a headache he would like to have at the club. The manager likes to use a fixed set of players that can settle into his style without too much of a fuzz and Gundogan is a player who will definitely be in his plans.
The manager used a flat 4-3-3 formation with a three-man midfield that saw David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne playing ahead and on either side of Fernandinho who was used in a more withdrawn role. The trio managed to keep up the intensity in the midfield that Guardiola’s teams are known for in the first three games of the season bit with the quality in the squad, it will only get better. Fernandinho, Fernando and Yaya Toure, the midfield trio under Manuel Pellegrini also had its own sparkling nights but having the likes of De Bruyne and Silva pushing the team up the field with Gundogan for cover is always more motivating.
Gundogan will be waiting to get a place in this squad and will be used in the place on Fernandinho in a central midfielder spot that he played for perfection under the last few years under Klopp and also under Tuchel in the Bundesliga. He is a smart player who understands the game really well and is effective in both the areas of the field. He is a playmaker in the final third and can break defences up with his skill while his range of passing and concentration levels allow him to dictate the game in a deeper role.
The 25-year old is still one of the best midfielders in his country and is one of many star players to move to the Premier League this summer. He is just back to being fitter than he was for some time now and will hope that he can slowly get some time to get used to the style of play in the Premier League. He will be given the role of running Guardiola’s midfield and if he can do a decent job, he can once again launch himself into one of the best in the world. Who do you think Gundogan will replace in the Manchester City side when fit?
