Guardiola has been a fan for some timeCredit: EPA
That will create a big gap in Pep Guardiola’s midfield that he will want to replace with a player capable of meeting his style and incredibly high standards.
Spanish newspaper MARCA state that the City boss retains the admiration he has held for Isco for a number of years.
Once the Lancashire club finalise their £60million move for Atletico Madrid anchor man Rodri, attention could remain fixed on the Spanish capital.
Isco reportedly wants to stick around at Real and fight for his place and he has another fan in Zinedine Zidane.
But the club acknowledge that a bid of around £70m could tempt them into a sale.
Manchester City legend David Silva will leave the club at the end of the season, and many supporters think that Phil Foden is his heir apparent.
The England Under 21 international has produced the goods every time he has been called upon by manager Pep Guardiola but he has barely featured for the Citizens this season so far. This supporter delves into the numbers to assess whether Foden has what it takes to replace the Spanish magician:
There’s no doubt that Foden needs more game time if he is going to fill Silva’s shoes next campaign. So far, the 19-year-old has made just 20 appearances for City in the Premier League; only three of which were starts.
Even so, it has been enough to make the final 20-man shortlist for the European Golden Boy award, and he’ll only improve once he gets more starts. Whether Guardiola will begin starting him more often as the season goes, we shall have to wait and see.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Manchester City
Arsenal
Brentford
Liverpool
Im not saying he’s utter trash or anything but with 5 world class CBs there’s bound to be one who isn’t as good as the others, and in my (mostly worthless) opinion that one is him.
He’s been solid IMO, which is difficult in someone’s first season here under Pep. Even during Liverpool’s goal, Akanji recovered and clamped Jota while nobody picked up Salah. Would I want him starting against Bayern or Madrid? Probably not, but he’s been good at the very least thus far.
Team chemistry is very important. Can be the difference in a tough game or when there’s a slump in a team’s performance. Knowing Haaland and integrating in the squad seamlessly goes a long way in that.
He is starting when everyone is fit though. It seems like Pep often prefers him over Dias even, but Laporte definitely. It’s entirely deserved though, he’s had a strong season and is seemingly always fit. I think Laporte is basically as good as gone, but I’m sure we’ll sign another CB anyway.
Haaland Another trailer, while his goals are naked statistics, he still hasn’t overtaken Arsenal in the MS championship, lost the Super Cup on the stratum of the season to Liverpool, lost the League Cup to Southampton, as a result, the trophy went to United.
Yes, and this is only just 1/8, and even without Haaland a couple of years ago, MS also rolled out Schalke 7-0 at the same stage. Penta-trick scored, well, a genius, but at the next stage he might not score a single one if his partners didn’t create chances for him, there were matches in the Premier League where he didn’t score, and City lost points and even lost, they started talking about Holondozavisimosti.
I think even without Haaland and his penta-truck, MC was able to beat Leipzig, maybe not so beautifully and with one wicket, but their composition allows, after all, clubs from different categories.
PS Well, let’s see at the end of the season what his goals will bring, while it’s more like a golden boot, the whole team is trying, if MS doesn’t win the Champions League, then his goals are worthless, because in the first place the Norwegian was taken for this purpose, since there was no pure attack and everyone complained that the club lacked a forward scorer in the decisive game.