Man City have been ruthless in the transfer market over the last few years, and that’s helped them gain their spot at the top of the pile in England, and arguably in Europe too. They’re still fighting for a quadruple this term, and it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see them win the lot.
However, that doesn’t mean that Pep Guardiola’s team is flawless. Indeed, according to ESPN, the Spaniard is looking to bring in a player to serve as the long-term replacement for Fernandinho, with a move for Saul Niguez apparently close.
The Atletico Madrid man would be a huge addition for City this season; but should he be the only addition?
Well, there are a few spots in the Man City first team that must also be considered when the Citizens begin their plans for the summer. Even the best squad in Europe is not without flaws.
With that said, Man City must not ignore these 2 problem areas this summer…
Left Back
When Man City signed Benjamin Mendy, the Citizens likely thought that they’d got the man to control the left-hand side of their defence for years to come.
However, his career at the Etihad has never really gotten started, with injury after injury causing more than a few problems in Manchester.
Aleksandr Zinchenko has been a reliable and solid backup this season, but in reality, is he really the sort of player that City are going to want to rely on long-term? Mendy’s clearly not a reliable option, given his injury history, and so maybe signing a top-tier left-back is the best course of action here.
Zinchenko’s a good player, but would he get into any of Europe’s other top teams? It’s unlikely. City need to make sure that every position is as good as it can be – and at present, their left-back spot is not.
Central Midfield
Even with a move for Saul Niguez close, do Man City still need further depth in the heart of the midfield? Fernandinho has had to shoulder much of the expectation this season, and he’s done well, but considering that he’ll need to take a step back moving forward, in addition to suggestions that City will let Ilkay Gundogan leave the club if he wishes, could the Citizens do with another option in there?
Certainly, a top team needs at least 2-3 players per position, and so it’s important that the central defensive midfield position is stocked adequately.
Man City are currently feeling the impact of not having enough depth, given that they’re still on course for a quadruple, and so maybe Guardiola has already highlighted this position as an area of concern.
It’s certainly worth thinking about.
