Manchester Evening News

Who Pep turned to most as new deals not finished yet

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI

CITY are not standing still in the transfer window after signing Erling Haaland.

They are actively looking to add a midfielder to the squad as Fernandinh­o departs, while there could be at least one other major addition depending on what happens with regard to outgoings.

Those moves will, if Txiki Begiristai­n and his recruitmen­t team get it right, strengthen a team that have just won the Premier League with 93 points to claim a fourth title in five years.

And while there is no guarantee the squad can match their performanc­e this season, a look at the players Pep Guardiola has used most in this campaign gives a measure of the position of strength City are building from.

The player turned to more than any other has been Joao Cancelo. Even when someone else was filling in for him, the Portugal internatio­nal was usually playing right-back instead of Kyle Walker.

Following Cancelo was, unsurprisi­ngly, Ederson. The goalkeeper is firmly establishe­d as City’s No.1 and that will not change over the summer.

Bernardo Silva, Rodri, and Aymeric Laporte all came close to getting 4,000 minutes in all competitio­ns as they rounded off the top five players turned to most by Guardiola.

Then comes Kevin De Bruyne, who announced at the parade that he will be at City for at least the next three years while he is under contract.

Then Ruben Dias, who signed a new six-year deal this season after less than 12 months at the club. Then it is Phil Foden, the academy graduate who is becoming more and more integral to this team.

It takes until the ninth player, Riyad Mahrez, to find somebody who is out of contract in the next 12 months.

 ?? ?? Joao Cancelo
Joao Cancelo

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