When the news that Pep Guardiola would be introduced to the managerial hot-seat at the Etihad Stadium was out, there existed a preconceived belief that that the Spaniard would bulldoze past his opponents and make Manchester City a threatening force not only on the English soil but also in Europe. However, reality begged to differ and it has been witnessed last season that the former Bayern Munich gaffer found it hard to cope with the animosity of Premier League as well as the Champions League.
Nonetheless, Guardiola is apparently looking all set to bolster his squad by adding top quality names to his arsenal to ensure that there are no loose ends for the upcoming campaign.
Manchester City have been pretty busy in plotting transfer deals and have already signed Bernardo Silva from Monaco for a staggering fee of £40million. The 46-year-old plans to overhaul his side and having released Gael Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna, beefing up his defence should be his main priority now.
Reportedly, the blue half of Manchester have had their initial bid for luring Benjamin Mendy to the Etihad Stadium rejected by the Ligue 1 champions, Monaco, as the French outfit are believed to have slapped a price tag of £40million around the collar of Mendy.
In a situation where the Citizens are desperately looking for a modern day fullback, it goes without saying that they must enhance their bid to get someone of his calibre and make full use of the financial muscle which they possess. Mendy is a blossoming youngster who ticks almost all the boxes of a sensational fullback.
A left-back who could also be stationed on the left side of the midfield, he thrives on pace and attacking prowess to rattle opposition’s defence in the blink of an eye. His style of play reminds us of the way Dani Alves plied his trade at Barcelona and from what we have witnessed so far, he knows how to maintain a neat balance between his offensive and defensive endeavours. Having accumulated 25 appearances in the French top flight last season, the 22-year-old bagged five assists putting in some tremendous performances.
Besides, he registered 1.9 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 2.4 clearances and 0.1 blocks per game on an average and was one of the most instrumental figures for the Red and Whites.
He is a good dribbler, crosses the ball meticulously and has commendable athleticism and work-rate. Moreover, the French international is stupendous in the air, has excellent positioning sense and given his age, he can shine in a full-fledged manner under Guardiola and contribute his part in helping Manchester City in bagging silverwares next season. So it might be time for them to improve their bid for the exciting youngster.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored.com
