The Man City fans in the Transfer Tavern have been loving the emphasis that Pep Guardiola has put on young players since his arrival at the Etihad.

When the Spaniard joined the club, the squad that he inherited was full of older players with no long-term prospects, and he was tasked with changing that.

That process has been very successful, with young players like Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus now coming into their own as some of Europe’s most exciting talent.

However, whilst a focus on young players is important, ensuring that experience is within the squad is also key.

Nonetheless, it was a shock to our resident Citizens when they opened their morning papers in the Transfer Tavern to hear reports of interest from Man City in Andreas Iniesta. According to Spanish publication AS, Guardiola is interested in linking up with his former Barcelona player – with Iniesta set to leave the Nou Camp this summer.

It would certainly be a shock to see Iniesta turn out in Man City blue, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a bad move. To the contrary, bringing him in could well go down as a stroke of genius – and it has the potential to be Guardiola’s best move since he came to England.

Here are TWO reasons why…

 Big Game Experience

Man City have a few Premier League titles under their belt, but their experience of winning big on a more global scale is limited at best.

Guardiola has assembled a young team, which is fantastic for the future, but in the meantime, their lack of big game experience is costing them.

You could even argue that their inexperience of winning knockout ties in Europe contributed to their failure to progress further than they did in the Champions League.

Iniesta, then, with his years of experience and cases full of trophies, could come in and help give his teammates that edge on those big European nights.

He’s not a player that can produce fantastic performances night after night, but he can certainly bring the thunder when it really matters.

 Coaching and Tutoring

Iniesta is, obviously, coming towards the end of his career – but that doesn’t mean he can’t contribute.

On top of the obvious ability he can bring to the field when he does feature, his influence off the field could be huge.

Particularly for the large number of young players currently on the books at Man City, Iniesta could be a valuable hand in the tutoring of youngsters – making it easier for them to progress to the next stages of their respective careers.

In particular, a young player like Phil Foden could develop hugely under the wing of Iniesta.