CITY Fox will be a cunning signing for Guardiola in summer
ANYONE who was a little underwhelmed by the prospect of City signing Riyad Mahrez shouldn’t be.
Instead of being linked with random players, with different names cropping up each week, it seems to have settled down to when City will sign Mahrez and Jorginho.
Although nothing has been completed yet, both transfers should be concluded sooner rather than later.
One rumour is that City have offered Oleksandr Zinchenko as part of the deal to sign Jorginho. Although the young Ukrainian hasn’t convinced me he’s ready to play in the biggest games for City yet, it would be sad to see a player with such potential heading away from the Etihad.
I’ve seen much more of Mahrez than Jorginho, as I suspect most City fans have.
And I see the Algerian as an excellent addition to the squad. I felt he was Leicester’s key player during their title season, and he would offer something different to Pep Guardiola’s team.
A recent poll on the M.E.N’s @ ManCityMEN Twitter page showed the fans who voted would have preferred Isco, Kylian Mbappe or Eden Hazard.
They are all fine players but Mahrez is a Premier League champion and a player of the season, and as more teams are likely to park the bus against the Blues next season, so the youthful pace of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling might benefit from having the craftier, more studious approach of Mahrez alongside it.
Where will Mahrez play? These days, especially under the stewardship of Pep, it’s not something I’d be too concerned about.
I see City’s front five of six as being interchangeable. Indeed I’d argue that’s the great strength of this squad, and the addition of a couple more alternatives can only add to the flexibility on offer. I couldn’t quite believe what I read on Monday morning when the final Germany squad was named for the World Cup finals and Sane was left out.
I know there will be Blues fans who’re quietly delighted because the PFA young player of the year can be fully rested for City’s pre-season trip to the USA and the new Premier League season but how can Sane be surplus to requirements for Germany? All I can say is that they must have one hell of a squad if he can’t get in it.
As summer 2018 kicks fully into gear, many City fans have told me they don’t enjoy this time of the year. I’ve tried to help ease the pain by producing a ‘best of’ documentary-length version of my Youtube vlogs – Ian Cheeseman – Forever Blue. Check it out. Andrew Cheeseman