An unfortunate turn of events saw Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City squad fail to accomplish a legendary treble during the 2020/2021 football season. After capturing both the Carabao Cup and Premier League title, a Champions League final matchup versus Chelsea could have seen the blue side of Manchester complete a historic season. Unfortunately for Pep, Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea side walked away as the kings of Europe. With that said, a new season is just around the corner. As transfer windows open, we’re previewing some additions that could assist Manchester City in another chance at defying the odds and claiming all major trophies next term.
Lionel Messi: Barcelona – Free Transfer
Last summer delivered a drama-filled period for Barcelona’s biggest star and the club’s executive board. Still, after months of Lionel Messi going back and forth with a potential departure, he was secured for another year. Fast forward twelve months, and Messi is among a plethora of star players who are in the final month of their contracts.
Of course, since the change of presidency, the chances of Messi resigning with Barcelona is significantly higher. Still, we cannot completely count out the possibility of Messi testing his emphatic skills in another league.
Apparently, the Argentinian native is reaching a deal to extend his 17-year tenure at Barca. Nothing is set in stone, and should an unlikely U-turn occur, we could see him join Manchester City alongside his former boss, Pep Guardiola.
If Messi fails to sign a new deal, a free transfer deal to Manchester City would be the most likely outcome. And with Sergio Aguero recently ending his 10-year stay at Manchester City to join Barcelona, it could be an unofficial exchange of stars between the two dominant clubs.
Eduardo Camavinga: Rennes – Fernandinho Replacement?
The 19-year-old hot prospect Frenchman out of Ligue 1’s Rennes could be the perfect replacement for the potential departure of ageing midfielder Fernandinho. Although nothing official has been announced, Fernandinho was placed on the Premier Leagues list of players set to be released this summer.
Should Fernandinho leave a gap in Man City’s squad, the highly respected up-and-coming talents of Camavinga could slide perfectly into the Manchester squad. It would be a gamble for Guardiola, like online casinos, due to the lack of experience and potential dip in form. Still, the French international could significantly raise his stock during the Euro 2021 tournament this summer to confirm the faith.
Teenagers with most minutes in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season:
🏴Bukayo Saka – 2562 minutes
🇪🇸Pedri – 2430
🇫🇷Eduardo Camavinga – 2413
🇧🇪Jéremy Doku – 2318
🇩🇪Florian Wirtz – 2230
🇫🇷Nathanael Mbuku – 2230
🇺🇸Giovanni Reyna – 1984
🇫🇷Adrien Truffert – 1957 pic.twitter.com/nXQtpQBSZ5
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) June 2, 2021
The youngster owns elite technical ability and robust physical skills, extremely reminiscent of Cities most vital defensive midfielder, Fernandinho. Claiming Camavinga at such a young age could be an excellent long-term investment for the club if they seek an ever-evolving squad and a player who can pass, tackle, and dribble his way around the opposition.
Notably, Camavinga boasts 1.98 dribbles per game, 3.89 tackles and an 89.5% passing accuracy, making Fernandinho’s statistics look amateur. With that said, it is known that both Real Madrid and Arsenal are keenly interested in his services so that City could have a battle on their hands.
Jack Grealish: Aston Villa – Number One Priority
The last position you would expect Pep Guardiola to build would be an attacking midfielder, but recent reports suggest that signing the Aston Villa standout has become a top priority.
The 25-year-old star outperformed his teammates with just 26 appearances this term, injury concerns kept the star man side-lined, and he still managed to bag himself six goals.
The price tag on Grealish at 100 million pounds feels like a broad reach, but City is confident that a £75 million offer would be more than enough to earn the signature from the Englishmen.
With the Euros competition starting this week, many domestic clubs will be scouting players’ performance at an international level, and Grealish will be one of those players that Guardiola and crew will be keeping a close eye on.
Conclusion
It’s still early days, and we have an entire summer to wait on star signings, but if one club can spend a ton of money following tough losses during the coronavirus pandemic, then Manchester City is those guys. None of the players listed may sign, but with significant faces departing and hinting at moving on from the club in recent weeks, we can guarantee that Guardiola is planning some big moves.
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