Manchester City have seemingly made a move to address one of the most pertinent issues the team is facing right now, which is an ageing defence, especially in the fullback region. With the Catalan having transformed Kolarov into a central defender, Clichy is the only option for Pep Guardiola and the former Arsenal man’s underwhelming displays coupled with injury issues has seen Pep play the midfield maestro, Fernandinho, in the left-back slot.
One such instance which clearly depicts the invalid nature of this move is the match against Monaco, where, in the first leg he was ripped to shreds by a combination of Silva and Fabinho. And the Manchester City player cannot be blamed for the display. Even if Clichy is retained by Guardiola, who himself admitted that it won’t be easy effecting a complete overhaul, a new left back is almost certain to join.
And according to latest reports, Pep Guardiola has even gone ahead and taken the initiative and held talks with Sead Kolasinac and his agent regarding a potential move at the end of the season. With the lucrative position the player is currently in, with his contract slated to expire in the summer, a lot of teams will surely be monitoring his situation.
And with Pep knowing the player well from his time in the Bundesliga, it will help him strike up a better understanding from a very early stage. Kolasinac has racked up 88 appearances for Schalke since making his debut in 2012 and has clearly been an important part of the set up for a long time.
The Premier League and especially Manchester City is a very attractive proposition right now with the level of competition along with the glitz and glamour and the high calibre coaches managing together. It projects an ideal destination for any player at their peak and with Pep at the helm of Manchester City, most players will grasp the opportunity.
The 23-year old is also a front-footed left-back and is aggressive in his approach and these are the attributes which will perfectly fit into Guardiola’s philosophy. His positional sense is far better for his age and he has a lot of scope to improve which is a good sign for his prospective suitors.
Pep asks a lot of his players, especially defenders and that is something players with a sense of ambition find attractive as the hard work put on the field simultaneously makes the player a far better technician and also opens up different facets of his play which might not have been explored earlier.
It is a deal which is financially very appealing and given the talent on offer, it has the potential to be a jackpot.
