Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City swept all before them in the Premier League last season.
Guardiola’s brand of football last season was one of the most attractive the Premier League has seen. Full of technically gifted players, Manchester City out-passed and out-thought all before them. They struggled in Europe, and their Spanish manager will be plotting on how to have a more successful European campaign in the coming season.
City’s side was well-balanced, with players complimenting each other with their talents. The centrepiece was undoubtedly Belgian Kevin De Bruyne, who showed he is one of the more intelligent forwards in the Premier League, with a standard of form he kept up all season. Leroy Sane was also a gem out wide for Manchester City, effortlessly skipping past challenges and being a threat all game.
However, even in a side as talented as the current City set up, there is room for improvements. With clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal spending heavily in an effort to catch up with the strong Manchester City side, they need to ensure they have the very best players raring to go for next season.
With that in mind, here are two flops Guardiola should have already sold and found upgrades for…
Eliaquim Mangala arrived at the Etihad for a fee of £31.8m. Transfermarkt now value the Frenchman at just £13.5m. He spent a portion of last season on loan in Merseyside at Everton, and has simply not been the player Manchester City expected him to be when they shelled out over £30m to bring him to Manchester from Porto.
His decision-making is questionable, he gets drawn into tackles and goes to ground too easily. For the style Guardiola wants to play, Mangala is simply a poor fit.
He should cash in on the player now, and find a better centre-back as an upgrade.
Claudio Bravo had a poor season in the 2016/17 season. Brought in as the modern-goalkeeper to replace the out-of-form Joe Hart., he did not live up to the bill.
The Chilean gained something of a reputation for being prone to making a clanger. His shot-stopping and distribution was called into question far too often during the season.
Now Manchester City have the excellent Ederson in goal, it is time to sell the flop.
