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Manchester City: More depth is needed to challenge for the Champions League

By Mahith Gamage

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City (L), Fernandinho of Manchester City and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City (R) on the bench during the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United at Etihad Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City (L), Fernandinho of Manchester City and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City (R) on the bench during the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United at Etihad Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Manchester City completed a dominant title win last season, and have continued to bolster their squad this summer.

We all know Manchester City loves to splash the cash in the transfer market, and they’ve continued their reputation by signing Riyad Mahrez from Leicester for approximately £60 million. It is their first signing of the transfer window, but you can certainly expect them to reinforce other positions in the coming weeks.

The most rumoured position that Man City are looking to strengthen is their defensive midfield position. With Yaya Toure departing the club and Fernandinho not getting any younger, it makes full sense for City to be linked with midfielders despite the massive quality they already possess in the squad.

We know Pep Guardiola loves to rotate his sides, so in having Mahrez, Sterling, Bernardo, and so many other attacking players, City could be set for a good run in both, the Premier League and the Champions League. This is likely something that caused City’s collapse in the Champions League last season, and Pep will want to stack up his squad to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

City should be after a young but physically capable, central midfielder to rotate with Fernandinho and overtake him eventually.

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Fernandinho is still a star midfielder who is capable of screening the back 4 and contributing on the front-foot as well. The major issue with him is that he’s already 33, and Man City don’t seem to have a viable replacement, ready to take the reins whenever necessary.

The transfer window won’t be open forever, so Pep should make one last venture into the market to get himself a young, physically robust central midfielder, who is capable of contributing on the ball, as well as off of it.

Following Jorginho’s transfer to Chelsea, the major name that has come to the surface is Real Madrid’s midfielder, Mateo Kovacic. The Croatian will likely be questioning his future at the Bernabeu due to his limited playing time for both, club and country.

Joining Pep at the Etihad won’t be an easy move nor a cheap one, but one that could allow him to blossom into the world-class midfielder he is capable of being.

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If they cannot complete a deal for Kovacic, perhaps a more low-key option such as Mario Lemina or Frenkie De Jong could fit the bill well. City will need to bolster their deepest midfield position if they are to have the squad depth capable of competing in all competitions.

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