Rival Perspective: How Do You Improve a Treble Winning Squad?

Over the years, Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola has consistently spoken about how a squad needs a refresh after every 3-4 years to keep players hungry and the challenge fresh.

After a treble winning season, there were many questions about who would leave, who would join, and how the club would move forward from an essentially perfect season.

Grading the Incomings

The first signing was a very under the radar move that preceded some very big money midfield signings around the league: Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea.

Following that, Txiki Begiristain secured the transfer of Gvardiol for less than the €100m fee that RB Leipzig initially sought.

After radio silence for what felt like weeks, City uncharacteristically made some late moves to sign Doku from Stade Rennais and Nunes from Wolves in the last few days of the transfer window.

The incoming business was absolutely wonderful from a City perspective that only becomes clearer with the departures that the club faced. The window definitely feels like a massive success only with the caveat of missing out on some of the targets that were difficult to pull in anyways (e.g., Rice and Bellingham). A-

Despite what rivals may think, and in contrast to the early takeover days, City’s board is very intent on relying on departures to fund any new arrivals. While I’d certainly hesitate to label City as Net Spend FC, let’s take a deeper look at the list of departures.

Gone, Not Forgotten: Permanent Departure

Oh captain, my captain. Ilkay Gundogan, the first signing in the Pep Era. A treble winning captain and perhaps the most clutch midfielder in the world during the run-in signed for Barcelona on a free transfer.

Riyad Mahrez, absolute baller and consistent left footed winger that dazzled with flair and calmed the game down with patience signed for Al-Ahli for 30M pounds.

The criminally underrated CB, Aymeric Laporte, that was bizarrely not targeted by any major European challengers joined Al Nassr for 23.5M pounds.

Probably the biggest surprise on the list, Cole Palmer, the City academy youngster signed for Chelsea after a 40M pound transfer. He made only 3 premier league starts over the last few years, and left citing the need for more playing time.

A City Group lad, Yangel Herrera, who played no senior minutes for the first team sold for 4M pounds to Girona.

Barring Palmer, it was probably about or near the time for most of these players to go.

It is disappointing that City could not secure higher fees for the likes of Mahrez and Laporte, but the board has a tendency to sell at decent prices to allow players to move when they’d like to go. B-

It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You later: Loans

A number of City youngsters (and Cancelo) were loaned out to various sides across Europe.

Josh Wilson-Esbrand was loaned to Stade Reims in Ligue 1, Maximo Perrone to Las Palmas in La Liga, Taylor Hardwood-Bellis secured a loan to Southampton in the Championship, and Tommy Doyle and James McAtee stayed in the Premier League on loan to Wolves and Sheffield United respectively.

Finally, Cancelo got his dream loan to Barcelona as he was never going to rejoin the City squad. He’s someone else’s problem for the year.

The young lads will get ample opportunity in leagues that will offer fresh challenges greater than the youth teams, and Cancelo will keep his Bad Faces away from the Club for another year. A

Final Thoughts

Many questions will be asked across world football regarding whether City got better or worse after this transfer window.

Right this minute, the answer would have to be weaker when accounting for the experience and quality lost in Mahrez, Laporte, and Gundogan.

However, Gvardiol is possibly the most talented young CB in the world alongside William Saliba. And Doku, Kovacic, and Nunes all offer ball carrying prowess that City has not had in some time.

With legendary and important departures from the Club, this was about as good as it could possibly get with the newer culture of spending.

Txiki Begiristain and the Board get an A for their work this Summer, and now it’s up to the Best Manager in the World to reshuffle the squad to maintain City’s dominance.