Manchester City's new signings - how are they settling in?
- William Russell
- Oct 18, 2023
- 6 min read
Manchester City have earned a reputation for hitting the nail on the head in the transfer market by targeting and signing quality layers, and it'd appear they've done the same thing again four times over.
Despite winning the treble, it was widely accepted that City would need to reinforce in the summer. They had one of the smallest squads in the league, consisting of just 23 players, and including the likes of Cole Palmer, Maximo Perrone, Sergio Gomez and Kalvin Phillips, who would all never be in contention to start a big game.
And, with Palmer, Ilkay Gundogan, Joao Cancelo, (who had been on loan for the second half of last season anyway) Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte all leaving the club in the summer, it'd have been incomprehensible for the club to not add new faces to the squad.
As it happened, City ended up needing to revert to Plan B on numerous occasions during the transfer window. Other than with the signing of Josko Gvardiol, which they got over the line for a good price and before the season started, City had to think on their feet to search for alternatives on every single occasion.
They'd have preferred to extend the contract of Gundogan, but he ended up opting to join Barcelona instead, meaning City chose to get a deal for Mateo Kovacic over the line. Reports say that Kovacic was set to join City regardless of the situation with the German, but it made the deal to sign the 29 year old from Chelsea all the more important.
They'd have preferred to initially keep Mahrez, but lost his services to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli. As an alternative, it's reported City's top target was the talented - but injured - Michael Olise, meaning they had to settle for Doku instead.
And, as they missed out on their first target Jude Bellingham, and their second target Declan Rice, and their third target Lucas Paqueta, City had to settle on Matheus Nunes as an extra body in the squad, for a fee of just over £50 million.
Nevertheless, in a window where the likes of Mason Mount, Neymar, Moises Caicedo, Andre Onana, Kai Havertz and Ousmane Dembele have failed to make an impact as of yet on their respective clubs, City will be delighted with their business so far.
The 2 Silvas Blog analyses each of City's new signings so far; how well they've settled in, areas in which they could improve, and just what they provide to the squad:
Mateo Kovacic
City's first signing of the summer, who joined from City for a potential fee of up to £30 million, has taken like a duck to water in Pep Guardiola's team (his last two games aside.)
Kovacic stood out in the Community Shield and Super Cup final draws as one of City's better players. He impressed with his ball retention, close control and mesmerising dribbling, which helped City control the game and look to assert their dominance through possession of the ball.
In my opinion, he was the second best player in the 1-0 victory against Newcastle United in the first home game of the season (behind the mesmerising Phil Foden,) and also impressed in wins against Sheffield United and Fulham.
He sustained an injury during the international break, but was back for the Newcastle United game in the Carabao Cup, where he was once again one of City's best players. But, in the next match against Wolves, he was very poor playing as a number 6, and was substituted for the untrusted Kalvin Phillips less than halfway through the second half, as City slumped to defeat.
He was equally poor against Arsenal in City's next game, and should have been sent off on two different occasions for badly timed tackles. Yet again, the 29 year old was taken off early as City lost the game.
But despite this recent hiccup in his form, Kovacic proved in his opening appearances for City that he's the perfect Pep Guardiola player. He is yet to register a goal or an assist, but he's shown his prowess as a dangerous player for oppositions to deal with.
They way he helps City beat the press, his positioning in the midfield, his ability to drop a shoulder and find himself in space with the ball, makes him unplayable when at his absolute best.
The challenge now for Kovacic is to nail down a starting place as City's left sided 8, which'll be a tough ask for the Croatian, in a team where very few people have that privilege. But, it is one he'll undoubtedly embrace, given the talented player he is.
Josko Gvardiol
As one of the most expensive signings of the summer, Gvardiol came with the heavy weight on his young shoulders that he'd replace the outgoing Aymeric Laporte. And, after his first few games at the club, it's so far, so good.
The 21 year old has impressed so far playing as both a centre back and a left back. He's proven himself to be an excellent 1 vs 1 defender, and wise and mature in his decision making.
Gvardiol's the full package; his passing is reminiscent of Laporte, his ball carrying is reminiscent of John Stones and his aggression in duels is reminiscent of Ruben Dias. Plus, he offers a threat going forward as a full back, and should've got an assist for Erling Haaland in the 3-1 victory against West Ham.
However, in a way of progressing his game further, I believe the future for Gvardiol lies as a pure defensive player, sitting back alongside Ruben Dias.
The other two defenders can offer support going forward, and Guardiola has already shown signs of a way of making this work when Gvardiol is at left back against Newcastle in the Premier League, where Kyle Walker pushed forward as a winger and Manuel Akanji moved into midfield.
For now though, Gvardiol has slotted in perfectly into the best defence in Europe. He will be a member of the squad for years to come, and could well be a future Manchester City captain in the making.
Jeremy Doku
City's third signing of the summer has perhaps been the most surprising with his instant impact. Many felt Doku wasn't yet up to the ability to start for City, and would be very much a development signing, but that theory has very much been nipped in the bud in his opening weeks at the club.
Doku has already started for the club 4 times since his arrival, and has contributed 2 goals and 1 assist. His performance against West Ham United caught the eye in particular, as he ran the Hammers defence ragged for the whole match, and drew the Blues level just after the break as they went on to win 3-1.
What's been impressive about Doku so far is his mazy dribbling and decision making. We were led to believe that the young Belgian was a pure pace merchant, who had nothing to his game other than the ability to roar past defenders. But this simply isn't true.
As Doku has admitted himself, other than for the first 5 or 10 yards - where he is unbelievably explosive - he isn't actually that fast. Walker holds the same opinion, and would back himself in a longer distanced sprint against the 21 year old.
But Doku's close control when dribbling makes him a tough enough target even without his pace. He's also a threat playing on either flank, considering the fact he's comfortable going on his left and right.
It's been a positive start so far for Doku, who's only going to develop further from this point. He has a few crumples in his game he needs to iron out, but other than that, it's hard to look past a situation in which City have a top quality player for the foreseeable future.
Matheus Nunes
We're yet to see much of City's latest addition to the squad, given the competition for places he has in the squad around him. But, it's fair to say that early signs are promising.
Nunes has impressed so far playing in the centre of the park for City, and has already chipped in with an assist against Nottingham Forest. His best qualities so far would appear to be ball carrying, work rate and awareness when not in possession.
In other words, it's fair to see that Nunes holds many of the same qualities as Kovacic, his midfield counterpart at City. Both of them love nothing more than to carry the ball into space, and both of them are very, very impressive at it.
If the worst comes to the worst and Rodri ends up in a position where he can't play for a few games again, then I'd like to see Nunes tried as the solo pivot. So far in Rodri's absence, Kovacic has failed to inspire playing as the 6, and I fully believe that Nunes has all the qualities to deputise in Rodri's absence.
As well as the talents highlighted earlier, Nunes is agile, nimble and physically strong, as well as being comfortable in possession and a tenacious tackler. All of these qualities make him the perfect defensive midfielder/number 8 for Guardiola's City in the coming years.
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