Transfer Diaries : #1

Written by :Rohan Sharma

Well as we have seen that Manchester City's lack of defensive options particularly not replacing Vincent Kompany was one of the main reasons they failed to defend their Premier League trophy for a third successful season. City's failure to replace the big Belgian was showcased when Aymeric Laporte was injured against Brighton and the central defensive duo of Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones failing to protect Ederson's goal forcing Pep Guardiola to deploy Fernandinho as a makeshift Center Back to provide stability at the back. City's defensive frailties against Norwich, Wolves, Newcastle were the reason Manchester City were 25 points behind Leaders Liverpool before the league shutdown because of Corona virus (COVID-19). 

As a City fan it was tough to see that but if City go ahead and sign these players I am sure they can once again capture their domestic crown and also conquer Europe if their ban is reversed by CAS. Plus with FFP going to be suspended for the upcoming season, City will have no restriction in spending on strengthening their defence because as the saying goes "Attack wins Games but Defence wins Trophies". With City already boasting world class attacking options it is now time to strengthen at the back too. Here are the list of players leaving at the end of this season: 

1. David Silva

2. Claudio Bravo 

3. Scot Carson

To fill the gap left by them and Vincent Kompany here are some of the names that should be considered to bring to the Etihad: 
1. Kalidou Koulibaly
2. Ruben Dias
3. Milan Skriniar
4. Jack Grealish
5.  Ben Chilwell
6. Alex Telles
7. David Alaba
8. Vincente Guita    

9. Lautaro Martinez

Let's take a look at what each player is specialised in and why City should try to bring them to the Etihad : 

1. Kalidou Koulibaly 

Well this Senegalese defender has been one of the best Center Backs in Serie A in recent times. He's comfortable with the ball, plays progressive passes, doesn't hesitate to go forward if needed and has a good pass accuracy. He also has a commanding presence at the back and is good in winning aerial duels also. The 6'2 defender is exactly the kind of player that would fit Pep Guardiola's gamestyle but with the defender turning 30 it would be hard to see City break the bank for him. But if he would be available from anywhere between 50-60 million pounds this summer then City should go all out for him otherwise they should aim for someone younger. But if City do get banned from the UEFA Champions League then it is unlikely for the Senegalese to shy away from the Champions League at the prime of his career and could instead choose a club in the Champions League.

2. Ruben Dias 

Dias, 22, has grown to become one of the best in his position over the past few years. He has displayed some solid performances at the back for both Portugal and Benfica and has attracted attention from several top European teams.With that in mind, Guardiola must bring in reinforcements to provide a good foundation in front of their goalpost. They have been lacklustre in the defence and this might be the right time to rope in Ruben Dias, who could go on to build a reputation for himself.Despite playing in Portugal, where the league is not as fearsome as the one in England, Dias has played every possible minute for Benfica this season.The Portuguese also has two goals to his name and can be a threat from set-pieces. He is vocal and commanding, thus adding to his leadership qualities.At 6ft 1in, Dias has shown the strength and character of a modern-day defender. In addition, he is good at passing the ball with an 89.8% accuracy.

3. Milan Skriniar 

Skriniar has grown into an inevitable presence at the back for Inter Milan, featuring in a total of 109 matches since arriving from league rivals Sampdoria in 2017.He has been a rock at the back for the Milan side, playing in all of their 18 league matches this season and helping them to the top spot in the Serie A table.Of the 18 games, he has started so far, he has kept 7 clean sheets until now, which speaks volumes about his abilities as a world-class defender.His defensive contributions have also been reflective in his side’s on-field performances this season. Inter Milan boasts of the league’s strongest defence, conceding the least number of goals (15) than any other Serie A side.With City clearly suffering at the back and the title slowly slipping from their hands, this looks like the best time to land the talented centre-back.Moreover, he is only 24 now and could still improve a lot under a coach like Guardiola. However, he is nothing short of experience, having proven his mettle in the past. Hence, by signing Skriniar, City would be able to resolve their ongoing woes at the back and give Liverpool a run for their money.

4. Ben Chilwell 

Chilwell, who has established himself as a regular for Gareth Southgate's England team in the last year, has been identified as a potential solution to the Premier League champions' problems at left-back, where Pep Guardiola has been forced to improvise following injuries to Benjamin Mendy.Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabian Delph - both midfielders - have both deputised for Mendy at times over the last two seasons.Chilwell has averaged 1.4 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 3.2 clearances per game in the Premier League this season. This demonstrates his style of play; Chilwell prefers to stay in position rather than rush out to make a tackle, while the high number of clearances is partly attributable to his aerial ability, as the left-back often tucks in and defends the box from crosses for Leicester. As stated above, he does get caught out of position at times, but boasts good pace to be able to recover, and usually times his tackles perfectly to avoid giving away fouls, having only conceded 0.6 fouls per game so far in the league.Like any other modern full-back, Chilwell’s attacking qualities are the backbone of his game. He usually maintains his position on the left flank, attempting to overlap his winger and provide width for Leicester’s attacks. Chilwell is yet to record an assist this season; nevertheless, the underlying numbers are promising, as the full-back has made 1.1 key passes per game, as well as 3.7 dribbles, with a 54% success rate. His successful passing rate is a little low at 75.9%, but that reflects the fact that he is quite consistently attempting to cross or find a teammate in a promising position; he ranks ninth in the league for crosses attempted.The 22-year-old's impressive form for club and country over recent months have convinced Guardiola and City's director of football Txiki Begiristain that he is worth the money.

5. Vincente Guiata

Guaita has been one of Crystal Palace's most impressive performers this season in a side that have the fourth-best defence behind, Liverpool, Leicester and Sheffield United.Ederson is City's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, with Bravo acting as back-up to the Brazilian. The latter is allegedly considering his future at the Etihad Stadium, though, which could force the English champions to look for a new number two ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.Guaita's form for Palace has attracted the attention of the Citizens, who believe that the 32-year-old would be the ideal signing in next summer's transfer window.The Palace shot-stopper has been excellent so far, keeping 6 clean sheets from the 17 league games he has started. His eye-catching displays in goal have earned him a regular place in Roy Hodgson’s side.Also, the 32-year-old is currently fourth on the list of Premier League keepers with most clean sheets and has kept as many clean sheets as Man City’s Ederson, who is considered one of the best in the world at the moment.

6. Alex Telles 

City could be better off turning their attention to Porto defender Alex Telles instead.After a short loan spell with Inter Milan in 2016, the Brazilian defender moved to Porto in 2016 and has established himself as a key player at the Estádio do Dragão.His statistics in Portugal suggest he would be the ideal addition to Guardiola's City side.During his first season with the Portuguese giants, Telles registered eight assists from defence. Just one year later, he almost doubled his assist tally, scoring three and creating 14 goals for his teammates.The 2018/19 season was a difficult year for the 27-year-old but he still managed to find the back of the net four times and picked up eight assists from left-back.In the current campaign, Telles has been back to his brilliant best, remarkably netting eight goals and registering five assists in just 23 league appearances so far.Not only does Telles excel going forward, he could offer defensive stability that City have been missing this season too, making him ideal for Guardiola's transitional system at the Etihad.Telles has averaged more successful defensive duels, won more aerial duels, completed more sliding tackles and made more interceptions per 90 than both Alaba at Bayern and Mendy at City this season.Furthermore, whereas it take a mammoth fee to prize a world-class defender like Alaba from Munich, Telles will have just one year remaing on his Porto contract at the end of the season.At 27, he is approaching the prime of his career and could solve City's left-back problems once and for all.

7. David Alaba

Alaba should be high on Manchester City’s wanted list, for multiple reasons. Many players get saluted as versatile, but there’s a difference between being able to get by in different positions and excelling in them. “He seems to have played everywhere except goalkeeper,” said Jupp Heynckes of his Bayern Munich pupil, who has shone brightest as a left-wing-back, defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder (where he performs for Austria).City wouldn't mind another top-class left-wing-back to compete with Benjamin Mendy, and are short of central midfielders. Guardiola was rich in his praise for Alaba while in charge at Bayern, and his system at the Etihad would be ideal for a 25-year-old renowned for his superb control, passing and speed.While Kevin De Bruyne reigns supreme when it comes to right-footed free-kicks, City would be getting one of the best left-footed set-piece takers on the planet.Alaba often flies under the radar as opposed to some of the other left-backs in the game, but, to me, he is the most complete; truly complete. His positional sense is unrivaled and he’s undoubtedly one of the most gifted and smartest players in the game.

8. Jack Grealish

With David Silva on the way out, City could have room in their squad for a creative midfielder and one leading option is Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish.Heavily linked with Manchester United, beating their arch-rivals would be a huge boost for City and he would certainly be a solid addition to the squad.The 24 year-old has nine goals and eight assists to his name this season, a great return considering he isn't in a team brimming with quality, and has unsurprisingly been linked with a big move away from Villa Park.

9. Lautaro Martinez

The biggest skill Martínez possesses, and what Conte needs the most in one of his strikers, is his off-the-ball movement. The young Argentine is often compared to his compatriot Sergio Agüero. The two both have deadly instincts in and around the box when they get opportunities to score. However, the way the two go about finding these chances varies quite significantly.When asking defenders about the Manchester City talisman, a common theme you will hear deals with his often-nonchalant movement. The striker has found his scoring chances through finding small spaces in time to make quick darts in and out of defender’s range. Before these times, Agüero tends to be rather stagnant, seeming almost uninterested in the match at times. Nowadays, Pep Guardiola’s Aguero is much more mobile, due to the requests the Spaniard puts on his number nines, but this theme has been consistent throughout the City legend’s career.Martínez, on the other hand, is quite different. When watching the attacking play for Inter Milan, you will notice he is constantly moving. He is always looking to get onto the blindside of his defender, with the view of forcing the defender to be reactive rather than proactive to his movements. This tactic has benefited greatly from Conte’s system that has been implemented this campaign, and a major reason why he is having the successful season we are witnessing.One of the most important aspects of a strikers’ game is their ability to finish off chances for their sides. Martínez has shown this ability on numerous occasions for Inter Milan, specifically during this campaign. Already close to doubling his output for the Italian side last season – 13 goals so far this year, compared to 7 through the entirety of last term – Martínez is showing a killer instinct in the box that the top club’s in the world all covet in their leading number nine.Martínez has consistently shown a knack for finding areas of space to drift into to get on the end of attacking movements.The Citizens are on the hunt for a new long-term replacement for Sergio Aguero, and have apparently identified the Argentine as their ideal target.