If there is one club in the Premier League, which is expected to see a chunk of arrivals this summer it is Manchester City. Not only are the Citizens going through a tough transformation under the best manager possible to supervise it, but their splurging of astronomical bucks means they need immediate results.
And this makes things all the more difficult for the Spanish manager, who will now have to seek players who are not only world class but would deliver him a piece of silverware in the first season itself. But, given the fact that he can go for almost any player in the footballing world, City would expect nothing less.
City have already seen a major exodus of players, who were brought in by the likes of Manuel Pellegrini and Roberto Mancini, and don’t fit in the Guardiola era. Here are 3 players, who could fittingly replace the departed ones and to a good extent, assure Guardiola a silverware in the 2017-18 campaign.
Dani Alves- Reports are already ripe that the Sky Blues have approached Serie A champions Juventus for a potential move, although City’s £5 million bid would hardly initiate any kind of negotiation for Juventus’ main player in Europe last season.
But, if Guardiola is looking for instant success, Alves is definitely the man to go for. Their partnership at Barcelona was impeccable and Alves understands Guardiola’s needs fully. The right-back is fluent in dribbling past opponents with ease and possesses brilliant passing abilities. Alves has played 208 games under Guardiola, scoring 15 goals and assisting 67 times.
Michael Keane- Although City have decided to retain their two centre-halves, Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi, Guardiola has a good idea by now how injuries could hamper a season in the Premier League. Honestly, John Stones has been a huge failure in his first season with City and if he doesn’t show any class next term, he would go down in the books of one of costliest failures in football history.
Kompany is already 31, and his recurring injuries mean he is unlikely to play the full season consistently. Keane is the ideal fit for Guardiola in his technique and age, and alongside the aggressive Otamendi, would bring the perfect balance to City’s back line.
Alex Sandro- With Gael Clichy gone, Guardiola is only left with Serbian international Aleksandar Kolarov, who is already 31. Although the full-back is one of the manager’s trusted generals to hold the flank well, he has been massively ineffective in creating chances. The Juventus man, who is a long-term Chelsea target, could come in handy in this role.
The Brazilian international has shown solidity and immense pace on the left flank for Juventus last season and had a good game in the Champions League final even when everyone else crumbled.
