Manchester City set for £50m transfer-showdown as Saudi giants eye swoop for £150k-p/w maestro
Manchester City appear ready to cash in on their Portuguese midfield maestro, Bernardo Silva.
So long, Silva?!
Manchester City appear ready to cash in on their Portuguese midfield maestro, Bernardo Silva.
What’s the Word?
That is according to Football Insider who report that Silva has attracted interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, who are willing to offer staggering sums to secure his services.
Despite City's healthy financial situation, they may struggle to compete with the lucrative offers coming from the Middle East. Silva currently earns an estimated £150,000 per week with City, but the allure of a lucrative Saudi deal could be hard to resist.
So long, Silva.
The same sources indicate that both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have maintained long-standing interest in Silva, but both European giants will find it challenging to match the financial muscle of the Saudi clubs.
Insiders close to the situation have revealed that City are apprehensive about losing Silva, fearing that he will be tempted by a new challenge elsewhere.
A potential transfer fee for Silva is expected to fall within the £45-50 million range, marking six years since his reported £43 million move from Monaco.
Notably, Ilkay Gundogan has already departed for FC Barcelona, and City quickly secured Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea as his replacement. In the event of Silva's departure, Pep Guardiola has given the green light for a similar restructuring process.
The Final Say
Last season, Silva featured in 55 matches across all competitions, contributing seven goals and eight assists along the way.
During his time at the Etihad Stadium, the Portugal international has been instrumental in winning five league titles, four League Cups, one FA Cup, and one Champions League title.
It goes without saying that the versatile maestro that is 28-year-old Silva will certainly leave a hole in the squad if he is to depart.
Of course, Pep is open to allowing players to depart from Manchester City, whether it is to pursue new challenges or to benefit the club.
He firmly believes in fostering a positive environment, where players feel valued, motivated, and have the freedom to make decisions regarding their careers.
Guardiola acknowledges that player movement is a natural aspect of football and embraces it as part of the team's evolution. His approach ensures a focused and committed squad while creating opportunities for emerging talents to thrive.
So, it goes without saying that City will find an astute way of filling the void left by the departure of Silva, whether that be through a summer market pick-up, or from the internal ranks of the City Group side.
As the transfer saga unfolds, City fans will closely watch how the situation develops, hoping that their club can navigate this potential departure with their characteristic resilience and determination.
Fabrizio Romano drops major Manchester City boost over £375k-p/w megastar
Manchester City fans can breathe a sigh of relief…
Manchester City fans can breathe a sigh of relief…
That is because their legendary manager, Pep Guardiola, has announced his commitment to staying at the club for the upcoming season.
Guardiola's assurance comes at a crucial time for the Citizens, who have just achieved a remarkable "three peat" in the Premier League on a journey that has seen them win five titles out of the last six seasons.
What’s the word?
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Pep has no intentions of leaving the Cityzens, despite the scrutiny that surrounds the club regarding alleged financial breaches.
Taking to his personal Twitter page to relay the update, Romano said: “Pep Guardiola: ‘I will stay at Man City next season. I’m not thinking of leaving the club’. ’I’ll stay next season with 100 breaches for the Premier League against us, don’t worry. We will be there’.
With a dominant and professional display under a new, unorthodox tactical system and a shot at the treble amidst ongoing allegations, Guardiola's decision to remain at Manchester City is a major boost for the club in what is a virtue signal for their shared aspirations of continued success.
Pep the G.O.A.T?
Guardiola's impact at Manchester City cannot be overstated. Having arrived at the club in 2016, he quickly transformed the team's style of play and ushered in an era of unprecedented success.
Whilst £375k-per-week Guardiola is known for his preference in using a 4-3-3 system, this season he surprised everyone by deploying a bold and unorthodox 3-2-4-1 formation. The result? Manchester City's dominance on the pitch has been taken to new heights, showcasing Guardiola's tactical flexibility and ability to adapt to the needs of his squad.
It is through this formation change that has seen the likes of John Stones and Nathan Ake reinvented, with Pep preferring to deploy four out-and-out defenders in the out of possession phase which sees them shape up in a compact 4-4-2 shape.
Under Guardiola's guidance, Manchester City have become a well-oiled machine over the years, showcasing relentless attacking prowess, tactical discipline, and exceptional team cohesion. The team's commitment to an attractive, mass-possession style of play throughout an approach in line with positionism has made them a force to be reckoned with, consistently outplaying their opponents in all aspects.
Guardiola's meticulous attention to detail, innovative strategies, tactical evolution and emphasis on developing young talents have all contributed to Manchester City's sustained success during his reign at the helm. This, combined with his ability to reinvent the squad season upon season is what makes him one of the greatest of all time.
Manchester City secured the Premier League title last time out against Chelsea to mark an astonishing comeback in their title defence against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side, and now face the prospect of achieving an unprecedented treble. City will face Inter Milan on the 10th of June in the Champions League Final, seven days after what should make for an exhilarating Manchester derby in the FA Cup final.
The Final Say
Amidst the recent scrutiny faced by the Cityzens, the news of Pep Guardiola's commitment to the club brings much-needed stability and reassurance in the long run.
The club were accused of breaching more than 100 financial rules earlier this year, with Pep alluding to this in Romano’s relayed quote. Though, the 52-year-old Spaniard’s decision to stay at the helm indicates his confidence in the club's ability to overcome these challenges and continue to thrive.
Despite what the average fan thinks, Manchester City's success is not solely attributed to their financial muscle.
While they may possess an embarrassment of riches, the club has been astute in the transfer market, with the signing of Julian Alvarez for a fee of around £14million proving truly sensational, especially when you consider that Burnley paid £12million for Wout Weghorst in the same window.
The 23-year-old World Cup winner has adapted seamlessly to the demands of the Premier League and has nine goals to his name at the time of writing. Of course, with City playing Roberto De Zerbi’s ambitious Brighton side tonight, that goal tally could increase in what should be an all action affair.
To conclude, Pep’s affirmation of his commitment to Manchester City is a momentous development for the club and its supporters. Guardiola's legacy at City has been nothing short of extraordinary.
With the prospect of a treble on the horizon, whatever happens, Manchester City can approach the upcoming season with renewed confidence and determination.
Manchester City vs Real Madrid: 3 ways that Pep Guardiola can beat Carlo Ancelotti
Here are three potential ways that Manchester City can overcome Real Madrid.
It’s finally here…
When Manchester City and Real Madrid face off in the Champions League semi-finals tonight, it will be a clash of two distinct footballing philosophies.
Whilst Manchester City tend to rely on a possession-based style of play that emphasizes positional play and intricate passing, Real Madrid prioritize a more direct, relationship-based approach that focuses on exploiting spaces and creating scoring opportunities through quick transitions.
Given these stylistic differences, Manchester City will need to find ways to exploit Real Madrid's weaknesses and create scoring opportunities whilst maintaining solidity at the back if they are to progress to the final. Here are three potential ways that Manchester City can do just that:
1. Exploit the spaces behind the full-backs
One potential weakness of the 4-3-3 formation is that the full-backs can be exposed if they push forward too aggressively. Manchester City can look to exploit this by maximising space through movement and fluidity in attack.
With the likes of Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva - two dribbling kings - the Cityzens can look to isolate the Real Madrid full-backs (most likely Camavinga and Carvajal) in one-on-one situations and exploit the space behind.
2. Control the midfield
One advantage of Pep Guardiola’s 3-2-4-1 formation is that it denies space for the opposition in the central areas - particularly in rest defence.
To overcome Real Madrid, Manchester City should focus on dominating the midfield battle and use their extra midfielder in the box shape to outnumber and overwhelm Real Madrid's midfield trio.
This can be achieved through a combination of quick passing, intelligent movement, and aggressive pressing - with the latter being afforded in the form of City’s five attack-minded players. This press can occur with safety and solidity in the 3-2 shape, defensively speaking.
If Manchester City can control the midfield, they can limit Real Madrid's opportunities to create chances and dominate possession.
3. Dictate the pace & exploit defensive frailties
Over the last five games, Real Madrid have conceded a whopping nine goals against La Liga opposition.
Whilst Los Blancos have conceded just 32 goals in La Liga all season, frailties have began to creep in at the business end of the season, and part of the problem that Manchester City could look to exploit is their vulnerability in transition.
Despite this, Pep’s side should be looking to control the tempo and not fall into the trap of hitting Ancelotti and co with constant counter-attacks. This is a battle that relationism tends to win time and again.
By returning back to their usual mass-possession approach, Manchester City can limit Real Madrid's opportunities to attack and force them to defend for long periods of time.
Of course, this also helps in tiring out Real Madrid's players and can create gaps in their defence, of which City should be looking to exploit.
With two legs of football, this is of course a marathon, not a sprint.
Allowing Real Madrid to dictate the pace of play and affording them as much time on the ball as they did Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich side could end in irreversible tragedy for Guardiola’s side.
This is effectively positionism vs relationism.
How many?! Gundogan breaks rare record as Manchester City beat Leeds 2-1
Manchester City's dominant 2-1 victory over Leeds United was highlighted by the outstanding record-breaking performance of captain Ilkay Gundogan.
He’s done it again…
Manchester City's dominant 2-1 victory over Leeds United was highlighted by the outstanding record-breaking performance of captain Ilkay Gundogan.
The German midfielder scored two crucial goals and was a constant presence in City's midfield, orchestrating their attacks and dictating the pace of the game throughout the entire endeavour.
Gundogan's first goal came in the 19th minute, with a well-placed finish from a Riyad Mahrez assist. His second came just eight minutes later, slotting home again from yet another Mahrez assist.
Despite missing a penalty that would have given him a hat-trick, and extended City's lead, Gundogan was an ever present thorn in the side of Leeds, with his two goals critical in Manchester City’s title defence.
Record Breaker (Again)
What was particularly impressive about Gundogan's performance was his passing and consequential dictation of play.
The midfielder achieved an incredible, record-breaking 170 accurate passes, with a pass accuracy percentage of 93%, surpassing his previous Premier League record of 167 accurate passes against Chelsea in the 2017/18 season.
This was a testament to his ability to control the midfield and keep the ball moving, allowing City to dominate possession proceedings throughout the game.
Even with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne playing just ahead of him, it was Gundogan who was pulling the strings in City's midfield.
Leeds United, on the other hand, struggled to get a foothold in the game. They had just 19% of the ball and made 112 accurate passes at an accuracy of 58% - a far cry from City’s total of 792 passes at a completion of 91%.
Closer and Closer…
Pep Guardiola's side lined up in their usual 3-2-4-1 system, with Leeds shaping up in a more direct 4-3-3 shape.
City's superiority through the central areas allowed them to control the game from the outset and create numerous goalscoring opportunities.
Though, it was 32-year-old Gundogan who played a huge role in the bypassing of the Allardyce-led side, and, although the Germany international missed a penalty, his performance was a standout - earning him a FOTMOB rating of 9.0.
Despite the scare at the end, this was a dominant performance from Manchester City, with Gundogan's exceptional display in midfield being the standout feature of the game.
Ultimately, Leeds United struggled to cope with their opponents' quality and organisation, and will need to regroup with just a few games left to renew their Premier League membership for next term.
As for Manchester City, they continue to march towards another Premier League title, with captain Gundogan stepping up with a record-breaking performance.
Barcelona: Xavi makes move for £165k-p/w Premier League star
Barcelona coach Xavi is more than keen on adding to his La Liga-topping squad.
Barcelona coach Xavi is more than keen on adding to his La Liga-topping squad…
Manchester City and Germany star Ilkay Gundogan is seemingly next on the list.
What’s the word?
That is according to Spanish outlet AS, who claim that Xavi has reached out to Pep Guardiola’s midfield maestro in regards to a potential summer switch to Camp Nou.
As the report skirts over, this would not be the first time that Barcelona have looked to raid current Premier League Champions Manchester City.
Back in 2021, the Catalan giants regained their La Masia youth prodigy Eric Garcia on a free transfer, whilst also prising Ferran Torres to Camp Nou just a matter of months later at the very start of the winter transfer window for a quoted fee of around £48million.
Logic prevails
Amidst Barcelona’s financial mess, astute business will be integral to them keeping their head above the water.
Last summer’s failed approach to sign Bernardo Silva was a lesson in itself, with the Portuguese international contracted with Manchester City until 2025.
And it seems as though logic has prevailed in that sense, with Xavi and co now setting their sights on signing the Citizens’ captain, Gundogan.
This is a move that seems achievable from a Barca standpoint, especially due to the fact that the 32-year-old’s contract at the Etihad Stadium expires come the end of the season.
The Final Say
Following the latest piece from AS, Barcelona’s first contact with Gundogan has been positive, with the Premier League star said to be willing to join the La Liga side even if he has to take a pay cut.
From the same source, it is said that the 32-year-old will be offered a three-year contract and would serve as the perfect complement to youthful midfield duo Pedri and Gavi.
Of course, since his switch from German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, Gundogan has been schooled in Pep’s modernised mass-possession style for almost seven years now, so his wealth of experience and respective ability to fit into Barcelona’s deeply engrained Tiki-Taka style makes the signing a no-brainer from Xavi’s perspective.
Averaging 54.54 passes per 90 with a pass completion accuracy of 87.7%, Gundogan can provide further stability in the Blaugrana engine room, whilst also functioning as a secret weapon from an attacking perspective with his 3.69 shot-creating actions per 90 placing him in the 90th percentile amongst positionally similar players over the last 365 days, according to FBref.
How John Stones at Right-Back changes Manchester City
Manchester City’s last two games, against Wolves and Borussia Dortmund, have seen John Stones deployed as a right-back in Pep Guardiola’s notorious 4-3-3 set-up.
Manchester City’s last two games, against Wolves and Borussia Dortmund, have seen John Stones deployed as a right-back in Pep Guardiola’s notorious 4-3-3 set-up.
And whilst many would expect the England-international to be a like-for-like replacement for Kyle Walker as the initiator in an asymmetrical full-back system, functioning as a right-sided centre-back in a back-three when City have the ball, this is indeed not the case.
And it makes Stones an unorthodox right full-back as a result, considering his reputation as a central defender.
So why is Pep utilising Stones in this way?
WALKER’S INJURY
Walker’s knock against Aston Villa just a couple of weeks ago has seen him miss three games in that time span.
Joao Cancelo took his place in the game against Sevilla, whilst Sergio Gomez featured at left-back.
But the following games against Borussia Dortmund and Wolves saw Stones feature at right-back, with Cancelo reverting to the inverted full-back role on the left that we have all grown so used to.
CITY WITH WALKER AT RB
As briefly covered earlier on, Kyle Walker acts as the initiator for the likes of Joao Cancelo to advance into a more progressive position.
As a defensive-minded full-back, he makes up a back-three when City have the ball, with Cancelo acting as a central midfielder through his inverted positioning.
Walker’s selfless efforts mean that Manchester City’s native central midfielders can progress, knowing there is cover in the space they leave behind.
With Walker at right-back, City’s build up usually looks something along the lines of a 3-2-5 formation in-possession, to put it simply.
CITY WITH STONES AT RB
In what is one of the tactical shocks of the season, a Manchester City side with John Stones at right-back sees Pep’s side push even higher up the pitch, in what is an example of inverted full-back positioning.
Both Cancelo and Stones push up as makeshift midfielders when City have the ball, creating a midfield three with Rodri.
Stones’ progressive nature as a full-back sees De Bruyne push higher up the pitch, with the England international able to recover the ball through his advanced positioning.
With Stones at right-back, City’s build-up looks something along the lines of a 2-4-4 formation in-possession.
MANCHESTER CITY VS BORUSSIA DORTMUND
The 2-1 Champions League victory against Edin Terzic’s Dortmund side saw Stones score a cracker, having ventured his way forward via an inverted position just outside the box.
And it was this rather shocking movement that enabled Kevin De Bruyne to occupy progressive positioning for City on a consistent basis, with the gap in the mid-third filled by the 28-year-old Englishman.
MANCHESTER CITY VS WOLVES
We saw Stones’ willingness to push up into midfield once again, with Jack Grealish’s opener a result of his progressive positioning, which, in turn, allowed De Bruyne greater freedom to rotate with Phil Foden in what made for a beautiful link-up to fire City 1-0 up inside the first minute.
It was a constant theme that gave City four in midfield when they had the ball, with Bernardo Silva offering support from deep, whilst Cancelo took up a slightly wider position than we are used to seeing.
It paid off and once again saw De Bruyne take up a central number ten role for the majority of play, alongside Grealish, with the pair just behind Haaland who of course led the attacking line.
Throughout this game, City were a lot more narrow, with credit given to the likes of Phil Foden, who dropped into a deep central position, and John Stones, who shifted into a more advanced inverted role, for allowing this shape to occur.
A SHOCK FROM STONES
So, in short, John Stones is much more progressive than we thought.
And when deployed at full-back, occupies a higher position than Kyle Walker usually does, based on our two game sample size from this season.
It affords De Bruyne greater freedom to attack and bolsters the midfield.
Though, it does mean that Cancelo is not as free to roam as he is when Walker plays, and does see City rotate slightly less than usual, whilst making them a bit more vulnerable to opposition counters.
Which system do you prefer?
The 2-3-5 with John Stones at right-back?
or
The 3-2-5 with Kyle Walker at right-back?
Is Raheem Sterling a Manchester City legend?
Raheem Sterling’s switch to Chelsea has caused anarchy among the Manchester City fanbase…
Raheem Sterling’s switch to Chelsea has caused anarchy among the Manchester City fanbase…
Whilst some are annoyed with the club, others are content and trust the decision made by Sterling, Pep and the board.
But in this piece, we’ll be looking at whether the decision to sell Sterling was correct, whilst determining whether the legacy he leaves behind gratifies him with the status of a Manchester City Club Legend - comment down below if you believe this to be true.
Watch the video
Under-valued Sterling
In Raheem Sterling, we’re talking about a technical and direct player who has managed to score a significant amount of goals, despite possessing some inefficiencies in the final third.
The last two seasons have seen the England-international finish as the player who has missed the most big chances, having missed 13 big chances last season and a further 13 in the season prior.
But, for all of his inefficiencies up-top, you cannot argue with the numbers he has produced over the last few seasons.
Out of his seven Premier League campaigns in a Manchester City shirt, Sterling has netted 10 or more goals in five of those seasons. And he also netted 17 or more goals in three consecutive Premier League campaigns during that time-span.
Quite frankly, for his level of output, he is an underrated asset.
But, were Pep and the City board still right to sell him?
Selling Sterling
Without stating the obvious, selling a forward who is approaching his prime years to a Premier League title rival is not the smartest decision.
But, in fairness, Jack Grealish offers a similar style up-top, whilst the arrival of January signing Julian Alvarez is also there to soften the blow, with both players employing a direct attacking style.
From a player perspective, it’s a move that comes with a lot of risk.
With the World Cup just around the corner, there are no guarantees that the 27-year-old will fit the style of Thomas Tuchel’s abrupt Chelsea side.
Having made 30 appearances in the league, starting 23 of those games, Sterling has been granted an adequate chance in the side by Pep and made a further 17 appearances with cup competitions included.
There was no real need to move from his or City’s perspective, but the decision has been made by the player, which brings us onto the main point.
Is Raheem Sterling a Man City Legend?
There have been some rather odd debates from Football Twitter on Raheem Sterling’s status at Manchester City.
According to Google’s definition, a legend is “an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.”
But in football, the definition takes a slight twist.
There are of course various ways that clubs base this prestige on, with aspects like; overall impact at the club, time spent at the club, silverware won with the club and of course most goals/assists at the club.
On that basis, the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany are among the most recent City players who have achieved legendary status at the club.
Traditionally, the highest and second-highest goalscorers in a club’s history automatically embed themselves into the Hall of Fame, so to speak.
So, focusing on this theme, the likes of Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs who are the first and second-highest Premier League goalscorers in Manchester United’s history, respectively, happen to be legends at Old Trafford. It’s the same at Chelsea, with the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba again ranked as the highest and second-highest Premier League goalscorers in the club’s history - a feat which has consequently regarded them as legends.
So, with 225 Premier League appearances made in a City career that has seen him work his way up as the club’s second-highest Premier League goalscorer ever with 91 goals in Manchester City’s most successful period in their history, Raheem Sterling is undeniably a Manchester City Club Legend, for his impact, time spent, silverware won, and of course his all important goal contributions.
Kalvin Phillips' Butterfly Effect at Manchester City
Pep Guardiola may be left with a conflicting decision in the holding midfielder role…
After securing the capture of Kalvin Phillips at Manchester City…
Pep Guardiola may be left with a conflicting decision in the holding midfielder role…
The signing of Phillips is tactically fascinating and could have a knock-on effect on Rodri, who has proven himself as somewhat of a midfield maestro in possession this season.
And his return of seven goals and two assists from defensive midfield has reflected his efficiency as a well-rounded asset.
Though, his defensive numbers have faltered slightly and fall short of the metrics sustained by Phillips, leading us to believe that the England international will be the first choice pivot in Pep’s 4-3-3 system.
So, what happens to Rodri?
Watch the Video
Rodri’s… Promotion?
Rodri’s stability and attacking efficiency in the season just gone may have influenced the thinking of Pep, who could now be flirting with the idea of pushing the Spaniard up into a more progressive role as a central midfielder.
The 26-year-old made 19 appearances for Villarreal as a central midfielder and has registered some elite level numbers in-possession this season.
With an average of 80.79 passes per 90 at a completion rate of 92.7%, he is City’s best midfielder in terms of passing metrics, beating the likes of:
Kevin De Bruyne who achieves an average of 46.49 passes at a completion rate of 76.2%,
Bernardo Silva who averages 50.99 passes completed at a completion rate of 88.6%
as well as new City signing Kalvin Phillips who averages 43.36 passes completed at a completion rate of 81.5%.
He’s not exactly passive (excuse the pun) in-possession either, registering a match average of 7.69 passes into the final third and 5.68 progressive passes - beating Bernardo and Phillips, whilst falling just short of De Bruyne who averages an elite level 6.36 progressive passes per 90.
Why Rodri to CM makes sense
Phillips’ arrival will enable Pep to employ a 2-3-5 system in the build-up, which will vary throughout the attacking phase.
One method would require both full-backs to join the midfield throughout an inverted approach to accompany Phillips, which would see the central midfielders get forward in the same fashion that they did last season.
Whilst the second method would see Pep deploy his full-backs throughout an asymmetrical approach, in which Cucurella and Cancelo would mimic that of Robertson and Trent in sharing attacking duties through overlapping runs to create an overload down each flank on a rotated basis.
This method would still require stability in midfield, so one of the central midfielders would need to support Phillips both in and out of possession.
Which is why playing a well-rounded and defensively sound asset like Rodri as a central midfielder makes even more sense.
With the Spaniard averaging 96.12 touches per game, the majority of Manchester City’s play goes through him, and with 68.29 carries, he’s a progressive asset in midfield.
As a central midfielder, he would essentially carry out the role that Thiago Alcantara does for Liverpool, dropping deep to pick up the ball and dictate play through progressive passes.
In a 4-3-3 system, it’s a move that makes a lot of sense.
Though, if Pep is to revert back to the 4-2-3-1 system that we saw him use when he first arrived at City, a double-pivot duo of Rodri and Phillips would make even more sense.
Why Manchester City NEED Marc Cucurella
Manchester City’s reported pursuit of Marc Cucurella tells us a lot about Pep’s desired play-style for next season…
Manchester City’s reported pursuit of Marc Cucurella tells us a lot about Pep’s desired play-style for next season.
Ever since the signing of Erling Haaland was confirmed, there have been questions as to how the Norwegian powerhouse will fit into such a technical and patient side.
Though, it seems as if Pep will look to make Haaland’s life as easy as possible, by changing Manchester City’s approach play throughout the possession phase.
Pep’s inverted full-back experiment
Benjamin Mendy’s situation off the pitch and Kyle Walker’s injury issues have left Pep short of full-backs this season - with the Spaniard ironically selling two ready-made options in Angelino and Pedro Porro.
The management of depth at the back has seen the likes of Joao Cancelo, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nathan Ake play a combined 65 Premier League games this season, with Kyle Walker also managing 20 appearances.
WATCH THE VIDEO
When Walker has started at right-back this season, Cancelo has performed as an inverted full-back, with the Portuguese looking to cut inside and join the midfield in-possession.
He’s performed tremendously as a right-footed left-back, registering five assists in 22 appearances this season.
But the reported pursuit of Cucurella would suggest that Pep’s experiment with Cancelo as an inverted full-back is clearly over, with orthodox full-backs now looking as though they will have a place once again in the Spaniard’s ever-evolving system.
City’s change in tactics
The potential move for Cucurella suggests a lot about Pep Guardiola’s tactics going into next season, as he clearly wants a more direct and orthodox option at full-back to accommodate Erling Haaland as the out-and-out target man.
Operating as a left wing-back for Graham Potter’s Brighton side, the 23-year-old Spaniard has created an impressive 42 chances this season - which is more than Walker, Zinchenko and Ake’s combined total of 30 chances created. Cancelo meanwhile is just short of Cucurella’s total this season with 39 chances created respectively.
In what has been his debut Premier League season, former Barca starlet Cucurella has proven his creative acumen, and as such, has attracted the interest of Guardiola who will no doubt be looking at a left-footed full-back to fire in chances for incoming target-man Haaland.
Guardiola is clearly looking to take a page out of Jurgen Klopp’s tactical notebook - the one that hits a fine balance between a mass-possession foundation, merged with a loud and abrasive pressing system that leads to direct counter-attacking transitions.
With or without Cucurella, it looks as though the arrival of Haaland will result in a more direct approach from Guardiola, who will continue to write new pages in his book of ever evolving football schematics.
How and Why Manchester City signed Julian Alvarez
Have Manchester City signed the next Aguero?
January 31st is, and always will be, regarded as an important date in the football calendar.
And whilst this year’s edition of the Winter Transfer Deadline Day was rather glum for some, it was much more exciting for others.
None more so than the 22-year-old Argentinian Forward; Julian Alvarez - who signed for Manchester City on his 22nd Birthday.
Alvarez had a number of suitors from some of the continent’s finest clubs.
So how and why did Manchester City sign Julian Alvarez on Transfer Deadline Day?
How Manchester City signed Alvarez
Last summer, Julian Alvarez was being tracked by a number of top sides, with Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen making their interest known.
Though the young forward opted to stay-put at River Plate, as he awaited an offer from a club who played Champions League football.
Suddenly, the list of teams who could appeal to Alvarez sensationally decreased.
And that’s where Manchester City come in.
Why Manchester City signed Alvarez
The answer is simple.
He’s young, talented and versatile throughout the forward positions.
And even at his young age, he understands what it takes to win silverware - having won 6 trophies in his time at River Plate so far, with one of those the prestigious Copa Libertadores.
Alvarez enjoyed a stellar 2020/2021 campaign in which he notched up 27 goal-contributions in 21 games for River Plate in the Argentine Primera Division.
Of those 27 goal-contributions, 18 were goals and 9 were assists.
None of his goals were from the penalty spot and he achieved these numbers in just 21 league games.
Having just turned 22, his potential is clear, and Ferran Torres’ recent departure to Barcelona is bound to have had an influence in this decision.
The biggest influence though is the fact that 17 goals and 7 assists were achieved when Alvarez was deployed as a centre-forward.
Add in the fact that Manchester City paid just £14m for his services and the move makes even more sense from a Manchester City perspective.
This means that Julian Alvarez cost £1m more than Dan Burn, £2m pounds more than Wout Weghorst and £11m less than Chris Wood!
Very efficient business by The Citizens.
A Win-Win Situation
With Alvarez now on-loan at River Plate for this next season, it means that he has more time to develop his game at a club he’s comfortable with, before he returns to Manchester City next season.
It also means that River Plate do not have to worry about replacing him immediately, and can ponder on their decision.
As for Manchester City, their striker-crisis is over.
They now have a young, prolific striker on their books who will be ready to make an impact, come next season.
The Next Aguero?
For some City fans, this is a move that will fill an even bigger void.
Work it out for yourself;
He’s Argentinian.
He’s primarily a centre-forward.
He’s a prolific goal scorer.
By the time he makes his Manchester City debut, he will be around 23-years-old. (The same age that Manchester City’s All-Time Top Scorer was when he arrived).
Does that ring any bells?
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Six Questions: James Trafford of Manchester City
James Trafford is a talented young goalkeeper from the Manchester City academy.
James Trafford is a talented young goalkeeper from the Manchester City Academy…
He has grown steadily since joining the club at the age of 12 from Carlisle United and has also represented England at Youth level.
Here, James talks about, among other things, looking up to fellow Cumbrian goalkeeper Dean Henderson and staying fit amidst the lockdown.
Via Getty Images
Growing up, who were your role models in the footballing world?
As a young lad I used to be an outfield player and a Chelsea fan, therefore, the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Petr Cech were my favourites.
But now as I’m getting older I don’t really support them as much and I enjoy watching a lot of goalkeepers like David De Gea, Courtois and Jim Atkinson
[As a young goalkeeper, you would have come up against some talented attackers already]
Are there any particular opponents that you've come up against who you felt gave you a hard time?
Yeah I've come up against a lot of good attackers - whether it was Joe White when I was at Carlisle - or now that i’ve come to City and played for England, the likes of Fabio Silva and Mason Greenwood were very, very good when I played against them.
[You have had the honour of representing England at Youth level]
What is it about wearing the national team jersey that you think makes it so special?
It’s every child’s dream to represent their country and for me to do so and sing the National Anthem, it’s a dream come true.
Are there any short-term goals that you have set for yourself for the upcoming season?
I just want to play as many games and improve as a goalkeeper as much as I can, I don’t tend to set goals much as I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
Having grown up in Cumbria, same as Dean Henderson, how do you look up to him as a Goalkeeper given the way he has progressed in recent years?
I look up to Dean a lot as he’s been on a very similar path to me as we grew up near each other and had the same coach and played at Carlisle as well.
For me to speak to someone who is older than me and has played at levels in which I want to play at it’s really good and I learn a lot from him.
Is there anything particular that you have been doing to stay fit amidst the ongoing pandemic?
Over the lockdown I did a lot of cycling to keep my fitness up as well as doing some goalkeeper sessions with people I know from my local area, alongside doing gym with my mates which helped me get into good shape for when I returned to training.