City’s World Cup XI make more history for the Blues in Russia
CITY have clocked up ANOTHER record at the World Cup … although Pep Guardiola might not be too excited about this one!
The Blues will have 11 players competing in the quarter-finals. It’s the first time any club could field an entire team from the last eight teams.
England’s dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Colombia shot them into the quarter-finals with John Stones, Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling playing key roles and Fabian Delph due to re-join the squad now his child is born.
Brazil also have four Blues in their ranks in Ederson, Danilo, Fernandinho and Gabriel Jesus.
With Belgium pair Vincent Kompany and Kevin de Bruyne squeaking through against Japan, and Benjamin Mendy in the France squad, the last 16 was another coup for City’s global status.
But for Guardiola, it means the bulk of his squad will not be returning to training until early August, and will miss the US tour.
City, along with Real Madrid, had already set a World Cup record by sending 16 players to the tournament.
But the elimination of Spain has made a big hole in Real’s representation, and they now have just six players left in the tournament.
The previous record was 10 players, held by Bayern Munich, due to their domination of the Germany squad which won the 2014 World Cup. City’s quarter-final XI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Kompany, Mendy, Danilo, Fernandinho, Delph, De Bruyne, Sterling, Jesus CITY are closing in on deals for Jorginho and Riyad Mahrez, but the Premier League champions’ recruitment drive for the world’s most exciting emerging talent started long before this summer’s transfer window opened.
The Blues’ network of global scouts have been busy trying to identify the next stars of the game, leading to deals for a whole host of players still to kick a ball for the club.
Pablo Mari’s loan move to Deportivo La Coruna at the weekend was a reminder of the work going on behind Pep Guardiola’s first team.
By the end of his deal, the 24-yearold defender - bought in 2016 - will have been on City’s books for three years while not playing a competitive game for Guardiola’s side.
Mari had made more than 90 appearances in the Spanish second and third division for Gimnastic before switching to the Etihad, and is far from the only player to have been away from the club for the entire time the Catalan coach has been in charge.
Here is a look at more like Mari, where their careers have taken them and what the future holds...
MARLOS MORENO THAT Moreno is yet to turn out for City is something as a puzzle, but it is unlikely he will be seen at the Etihad before 2019.
There was great excitement in 2016 when City paid £4.75m - a considerable sum - for the teenager that had made such an impact, with South American football expert Tim Vickery declaring ‘not since the likes of Sergio Aguero, Alexis Sanchez and Neymar have I been so enthusiastic about a young player.’
However, an ineffective loan at Deportivo in his first year at City was followed by an ineffective loan at Girona and another loan back to Brazilian side Flamengo until December 2018.
By that time, Moreno will be 22 and be half the way through his fiveyear deal at the Etihad without having come close to making the first team. City will hope the forward’s time in Brazil can be as productive as it was for Gabriel Jesus, who signed for City at the same time.
MANU GARCIA A STYLISH playmaker that came to Manchester aged 16, Garcia impressed in the academy ranks for his attitude as much as his talent on the pitch. Manuel Pellegrini rated him highly, using him in three competitions during the 2015/16 season.
And David Silva gave the teenager his League Cup medal in that year after finding out he had not been given one, despite playing in two games and scoring in one of them.
Guardiola told him to go out on loan when the manager arrived at the club to mature and improve his game, and he found his feet at City sister club NAC Breda after a disappointing spell at La Liga side Alaves.
Now 20, Garcia is expected to go on loan again - this time to Toulouse, who have been strongly linked with a more formal partnership with the Blues - but he still has another two years remaining on his Etihad contract.
YANGEL HERRERA AN unannounced signing on the last day of the 2017 January transfer window, defensive midfielder Herrera was snapped up from South American side Atletico Venezuela and soon loaned out to New York City.
The 20-year-old has impressed at City’s sister club and declared himself ready for Europe, saying: “I feel good and I would really like to make the jump”.
Lyon were rebuffed when they made enquiries about the player last August, although Herrera still does not have a work permit to be able to play in England.
Patrick Vieira, who knows a thing or two about midfielders, said: “Yangel can defend, can attack and score goals. He’s a physical presence, he’s a big help for the team and he’s not so bad with the ball.”