Five players who could make Manchester City even better next season
Last season, Manchester City ran away with the Premier League title, almost at ease. They almost had it wrapped up by Christmas, lost only two games, and thanks to a last-minute Gabriel Jesus winner against Southampton on the final day, became the first team in Premier League history to pass the 100 point mark.
There were some who said that this was the best team we have seen in the Premier League era. It may be too early to suggest that, but there is no doubting that some of the stuff they played was remarkable.
Pep Guardiola proved that he could make his tiki-taka style of football work in the Premier League, and put together the perfect group of players to show it. The likes of Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva and Raheem Sterling all thrived in the system, and they will be hoping for more next season.
We have seen in the past couple of years, that with Man City, and owner Sheikh Mansour, they aren’t prepared to just sit on success. They will be happy with the Premier League and League Cup double, but they will want the same next season, and probably more. They are still yet to win the Champions League, and Pep Guardiola will have more than one eye on that next season.
There is money to spend, and they will want to get better. Riyad Mahrez has joined the club in a £60 million deal, but it looks like they have missed out on a deal for Jorginho, as he looks set to follow his former manager Maurizio Sarri to Chelsea.
This means they will have to look elsewhere for their new signings, and here are five men who they should look at signing this summer.
#1 Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid)
Given the other players that City have showed interest in over the past year, they are clearly looking to bring a new centre midfielder to the club. In the past year, they have been linked with Fred, who has since moved to Manchester United, and Jorginho. They agreed a deal and personal terms to sign the Italian from Napoli, before Chelsea made their move. Kovacic is in the same mould as those two players, so could be the man they are looking for.
He is the sort of play that Guardiola would usually look to sign. He is versatile, an excellent passer of the ball, and someone well adept at reading the game. David Silva is 32 now, and not getting any younger. Kovacic is eight years his junior, and there are similarities between the pair. The Croatian has been at Real Madrid for three years now, but still is yet to establish himself in the team there. He is stuck behind Isco in the queue for a place in the first team, and doesn’t look like forcing his way into it just yet. He may feel it is time for him to move on to somewhere he may get more of a chance, and Guardiola could offer him just that.