After becoming the first manager to successfully retain the Premier League crown in a decade, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola isn’t ready to back down just yet, it seems.
The Catalan has promised to add more quality to the team by signing a few players in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Here are a few players Guardiola should target this summer.
Matthijs de Ligt
Aymeric Laporte emerged as one of Premier League’s most consistent defenders this season. But, the Frenchman may need a reliable partner next season, especially with Vincent Kompany entering the final stage of his career.
Matthijs de Ligt, in that regard, would be an exciting option for Guardiola given his proficiency in circulating possession. He can also initiate attacks with long diagonal passes while his doggedness in defence makes him a tailor-made fit for Manchester City.
De Ligt is also young and given the nature of his gameplay, he can be groomed into an ideal player for Manchester City’s Juego de posicion under Guardiola.
Rodri
The acquisition of Rodri should be Manchester City’s number one priority this summer. The Atletico Madrid midfielder has enjoyed immense success during his first season under Diego Simeone.
The combative midfielder has easily integrated into Simeone’s intense gameplay at Madrid and looks like an ideal candidate to replace Fernandinho. His ability to disrupt the flow of the opposition coupled with his tackling prowess is something the club lacks in their current crop of midfielders.
Furthermore, the Spaniard has also shone in terms of his ball-circulation, which is paramount in Pep’s possession-oriented football. And at the age of 22, Rodri would be a smart long-term investment for the English champions.
Luka Jovic
It has been a disastrous campaign for Gabriel Jesus. Even though the Brazilian has been involved in 10 goals in 29 league matches, he has often struggled with injuries and lack of form, which might force Guardiola to opt for a new attacker this summer.
That’s where Luka Jovic could come into the fray. The young Serbian has emerged as one of Europe’s most promising strikers, having scored 27 goals for Eintracht Frankfurt in all competitions this season.
Jovic’s incredible form in front of goal has been instrumental to an impressive season for the Eagles that has seen them reach the semi-final of the UEFA Europa League.
The Serbian is a technically gifted striker, who also likes to combine with teammates and rotate possession at a quick rate. Thus could tune in well with City’s attacking game and ideally make him a tailor-made fit for Guardiola next season.