Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few months, you’ll know that Pep Guardiola is bound for Manchester City at the end of the season.
The revered Spanish coach is set to takeover from Manuel Pellegrini, with the aim of taking City to the very summit of European football.
Naturally, a host of continental names are linked with making huge money switches to the Etihad Stadium over the summer as the former Barcelona tactician overhauls a side who often play like they are coming toward an end of an era.
After all, it’s nearing six years since the likes of Yaya Toure and David Silva arrived at the club as their first cycle of a truly great team enters it’s twilight years.
That’s not to say the glorious individuals from which that side was built upon have nothing left to give, but you get a sense an injection of fresh legs and creativity is required.
Both Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling have had largely positive effects since their moves to rejuvenate the frontline this summer. With that in mind, perhaps the players Guardiola allows to leave the club will define his philosophy just as much as those he opts to draft in.
So, upon closer examination of the squad he is due to inherit, here are FIVE big names that could leave Manchester City this summer.
YAYA TOURE
Yaya Toure in many ways is indicative of this current City side as a whole. At times lazy, lethargic and lacklustre, the Ivorian is capable of producing magic at the drop of a coin.
Clearly, he’s not an individual who you’d like to shift off in a hurry. Granted, the marauding runs from deep in midfield are slowly becoming a memory, but there is no doubt he possesses world class ability to create something out of nothing.
Still, with his powers on the wane, this summer could represent a natural end to his time at the Etihad. No longer does he have the legs to operate as a box-to-box midfielder, it’s unlikely he’ll oust David Silva as a Number 10.
Guardiola has a penchant for basing his teams around a deep-lying midfielder. In Spain, Sergio Busquets was one of his most trusted lieutenants and the start of his passing carousel, knitting the side together.
His preference differed somewhat in Bavaria, with Phillip Lahm, Thiago Alcantara and Xabi Alonso all operating in a deeper role.
Can we really expect Toure to provide that sort of mobility? Or turn into an Alonso/Andrea Pirlo?
This summer more than ever represents a natural end to his time with the club for which he has had such a major impact on their success, with links of a move to the mega wealthy Chinese Super League.
WILFRIED BONY
Unlike his great rival, Jose Mourinho, it’s hard to identify ‘a Guardiola player’ with such ease. For unlike the Portuguese, the Bayern coach is constantly changing the way in which he sets up his team.
Having said that, it is exceptionally hard to imagine Wilfried Bony being a preferred option of his. The Ivorian marksman certainly offers qualities, though they have not been all to often evident during his time as a Manchester City player.
While the incoming Spaniard has departed from the ‘tika taka’ style of play that conquered the continent, the fluidity of his sides will not best suit the former Swansea forward.
The £28m striker is an excellent option to hold the ball up in an effort to let allow flying wingers and midfield runners push ahead, while he uses his nous to find space within the box.
Though it’s not clear just how Guardiola will set this City side up, surely it will not be an environment that suits Bony.
There’s also the small matter of a certain Sergio Aguero, as well as the ever impressing Kelechi Iheanacho.
ELIAQUIM MANGALA
If there’s one manager who can get the best of £40m flop Eliaquim Mangala, surely it is Pep Guardiola.
The Frenchman is not alone in the fact he simply cannot seem to perform without stoic skipper Vincent Kompany next to him, though is more dispensable than Nicolas Otamendi in a central defensive berth.
To be fair to the former Porto man, it’s not like Otamendi has pulled up any trees since his own big money move. However, his partnership with Kompany and the start of the season looked rather solid.
With John Stones the talk of the town, and reportedly a major target this summer, it could spell the end for Mangala’s stay in Manchester.
ALEKSANDAR KOLAROV
Due to the relative dearth in full-backs with top quality, both Aleksandar Kolarov and Gael Clichy have remained on the books at Manchester City far longer than they should have done.
While the latter is probably just about good enough to keep around as an understudy for at least another season, Kolarov should be sold.
The Serbian has his qualities going forward, as all operators in such areas have these days, but is extremely suspect when tasked with even the most basic of defensive duties.
That’s a trend that appears to be dogging most modern day full-backs, but surely won’t be acceptable for Guardiola going forward.
A mega money for Bayern ace David Alaba has been mooted in certain reports, and while it’s likely to be hugely expensive, would be a significant upgrade.
Even within the Premier League, there are a host of left-backs who would improve vastly on the shaky Serb.
SAMIR NASRI
It’ll go either one of two ways for Samir Nasri under the stewardship of the Etihad bound tactical innovator. Due to his vast amounts of technical ability, it’s not out of the realms of possibility the Frenchman could be afforded a new lease of life.
However, that particular outcome remains unlikely. With Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva able to operate at Number 10, or the likes of Raheem Sterling and Jesus Navas in wide areas, perhaps the former Arsenal man will be sacrificed to make room for arrivals.
Injury has prevented the 28-year-old from putting his stamp on the season effectively, though even when fit, is barely knocking on the door of City’s ‘Fab Four’ up front.