Ranking the 3 Manchester City squad players who can replace Ilkay Gundogan next season
Manchester City enjoyed a tremendous 2022-23 season, completing their first-ever continental treble. A player who was integral to the side's success was former club captain Ilkay Gundogan. The German midfielder scored 11 goals and registered seven assists in 51 appearances across competitions last season.
Gundogan scored a lot of crucial goals in his Manchester City career, including a brace in the FA Cup Final against Manchester United. The void that he leaves will undoubtedly be felt by Pep Guardiola's team, therefore the right player needs to be chosen to fulfill it.
Manchester City have been linked to different midfielders such as Frenkie de Jong and Gabriel Veiga. However, there are players within City's squad who should be ready to take the German midfielder's position. Here is a look at the three squad players who can replace Ilkay Gündoğan next season:
#3 Mateo Kovacic
Mateo Kovacic joined Manchester City for a reported fee of £25 million. The former Real Madrid and Chelsea midfielder brings a wealth of experience to Pep Guardiola's team, and should be a pivotal player for the Cityzens.
The Croatia international is not the biggest goal threat from midfield. He scored two goals and assisted two more in 37 games across all competitions for Chelsea last season. He does provide quality passing, with a 86.1% pass completion rate from 70.24 passes attempted per 90.
The 29-year-old is also an elite progressive passer, with 7.93 progressive passes completed per 90. That skill set should see him set up the likes of Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez regularly. His assist numbers could improve under Pep Guardiola.
#2 Phil Foden
Phil Foden predominantly played as a wide forward under Guardiola last season, but he did play a few matches from midfield. Foden made 48 appearances for City last season, with 16 of them coming from the left wing. He played as a midfielder on 19 occasions.
Foden can thrive in the left-central midfield role as he provides a legitimate goal threat. The England international scored 15 goals last season, with eight assists registered in all competitions. Seven of these goals came from his performances in the various midfield positions.
Having been a part of Manchester City's squad for six seasons, he is one of the senior members of the squad at just 23 years of age. With Grealish, Alvarez and Riyad Mahrez likely to occupy the forward roles, Foden could become a key player in midfield.
#1 Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva could be the best man to replace Gündoğan in midfield. Silva played 18 matches from central midfield last season, registering four assists. During 2021-22 season, Silva played 29 matches from central midfield, scoring nine goals and giving four assists.
The 28-year-old has previously played in place of Gündoğan and Kevin De Bruyne whenever they were out due to rest or injury. He has proven that when he is regular starter, he can contribute significantly to Manchester City's success.
He has been linked with a move away from the Etihad, with Barcelona and PSG among the clubs interested in the Portuguese star. If a move does not materialise, he will prove to be a pivotal player and the best option to replacing İlkay Gündoğan.