The ideal Manchester City squad for the 2023/24 season.

Image courtesy of bbc.co.uk

The 2023/24 season is coming towards us, and there are plenty of loose ends for Manchester City to tie up in the remaining month or so of the transfer market.

It is the ongoing transfer saga with Croatian centre back Josko Gvardiol that is taking up most of the Blues's attention.

After an initial trademark "Here We Go" from transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, signifying the completion of the deal, it has been very quiet on the news front ever since the story broke on July 21st.

10 days later, however, after receiving criticism on Twitter from one sceptical and impatient City fan, Romano replied to the worries of this fan with just one word: relax.

This seems to suggest that the deal is done, and Romano remains confident about that in the face of exterior adversity, but there are obviously still some issues with the deal, otherwise Gvardiol would've joined up with the City squad for their pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea.

If we do see the 21 year old make the move from RB Leipzig to Manchester City - with a fee likely to be agreed at the reported price of approximately €100 million - then we could see the departure of Aymeric Laporte, to make room in the squad.

The 28 year old was unhappy with his playing time last season, where he had to play second fiddle to Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, John Stones and Manuel Akanji at centre back and left back.

His options are currently limited however, with the only club whose name has been mentioned in association with him being Athletic Bilbao, a side whose ambitions and stature in the game are not a suitable fit for Laporte's quality, with all due respect.

There is also the issue surrounding Joao Cancelo, who was exiled from the City squad last season for his poor attitude, with this being the turning point in City's treble charge.

After Bayern Munich declined to trigger the buy option included in the deal to bring the defender to Germany on loan in January, City are now stuck with a player who Pep Guardiola does not want to include in his squad for next season.

His fortunes in pre-season were mixed; very impressive in the first game, solid in the second game, and off the pace in the third game, leaving very few City fans desperate to cling onto him.

Barcelona are long time admirers of the 29 year old, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Cancelo's name linked to Saudi Arabia before the window shuts on September 1st.

A popular move with the City fans, and now one that would seem to be a necessity, is move for a new winger, after the departure of Riyad Mahrez to Al-Ahli.

The name most commonly associated with a move to Guardiola's side is Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise, who, as well as being a very similar player stylistically to Mahrez, has a

reported release clause of £35 million, - a price very much in City's price range.

Fabrizio Romano, the journalist to break the news about Olise's release clause, has also reported that City have a target of 3 wingers on their shortlist.

Like in 2020, when City targeted 3 centre backs, and ended up getting their 3rd choice in Dias, City will no doubt look to close a deal for one of those 3 players. Rumoured players who could appear on that shortlist are Raphinha, Julio Enciso, Jeremy Doku and even City

cult hero Leroy Sane.

And the last likely concern City will have to contend with is finding replacements for Bernardo Silva and Kyle Walker, with there being a realistic possibility that both players could leave the club this summer.

However, with every passing day, with rumours of PSG walking away from a deal for Bernardo, and talks between City and Bayern stalling for Walker, it appears more and more likely that neither of these players have played their last season in a sky blue shirt.

This is the squad that I would most like to see for City next season, including hypothetical ingoings and outgoings. It is based off nothing other than reports from elsewhere, and my own personal opinion:

Goalkeepers - Ederson, Stefan Ortega-Moreno, Scott Carson

By far the easiest (and most boring section) to decide, City's goalkeepers are not just nailed down for this season, but, hopefully, for seasons to come after that.

Ederson is one of the very best in the world, and, as such, is virtually irreplaceable on today's market. His ball playing ability is second to none, and will be a crucial part of City's spine whilst Guardiola remains at City.

Ortega-Moreno is, in my opinion, the best backup goalkeeper City have had under Guardiola, meaning City would be highly unlikely to move him on, after his impressive performances helped City to win the FA Cup, as part of their treble last season.

And then there is Scott Carson, City's 3rd choice goalkeeper, who has made a grand total of 2 appearances in a City shirt. It would be nice to see a young goalkeeper developed to eventually compete for the number 1 spot, Carson's experience and character is vital to the squad dynamics.

City's goalkeeping options are strong, and I'd be willing to set my City season ticket that nothing changes on that front between now and the end of the transfer window.

Defenders - Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol.

The area where we're likely to see the most movement, I would like to see a 1 in 1 out approach from City's board.

City are likely to sell Laporte, but I would like to see him stay. He is a dedicated professional, and whilst I expect he won't be happy to be an out and out back up at centre back, he would certainly be an adequate replacement in an injury crisis, and it would mean Dias can get a more frequent rest as the middle centre back in the 3-2-4-1 system.

I want to see Joao Cancelo leave the club. His relationship with Guardiola has completely collapsed, and whilst he's no doubt an excellent player, City played better without him last season. Therefore, now is a good time for him to move on.

Walker is a huge, huge asset for City, and he needs to be properly replaced if he is to move to Bayern Munich, There is cover in Lewis, Stones and Akanji (and Cancelo for the time being,) but with extra games this season in the Club World Cup, it wouldn't hurt to have an extra option, but only if Walker leaves.

The one defensive addition that needs no departure to make room is Gvardiol. A deal with RB Leipzig is edging closer and closer by the day, and it appears very likely that we'll see the Croatian international line up at the Etihad Stadium next season.

It'll be interesting to see just how City integrate Gvardiol into their system, with an upcoming article on The 2 Silvas Blog set to explore that.

The final player who you might have noticed is missing is Sergio Gomez. I am not a huge fan of Gomez as a defensive player, but technically, he is as good as the vast majority of City's squad.

Therefore, I don't want to see him leave, but play in a different role instead, which will be elaborated upon later in the article.

Midfielders - Rodri, Kalvin Phillips, Kevin de Bruyne, Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, James McAtee, Maximo Perrone

Midfield is the most important area in any elite side, and City are blessed with an abundance of technical talent.

Holding midfielder Rodri and attacking midfielder Kevin de Bruyne are widely regarded as the best in the world in their respective positions, and are excelling in this City team. Alongside new signing Mateo Kovacic, who has caught the eye in his early days at the club, that trio is as safe as houses in City's midfield.

With the rest of those midfield options, their fate is not certain.

Kalvin Phillips wants to stay at City and fight for his place, but City would be open to selling him. I've already expressed my opinions on the Englishman, but it would appear very likely that he'll remain a City player for another year at least.

Bernardo Silva is the opposite of Phillips, in that he wants to leave the club this summer, but, after the departure of Ilkay Gundogan, City are completely reluctant to sell him.

My personal feeling is that the Portuguese international will stay for at least another season, with his contract set to expire in 2025. He is a world class player, and will play a huge role in multiple different positions throughout the season.

There are 2 midfield spots left, and both of them are youngsters. James McAtee showed promise in City's pre-season fixtures, and can now be considered as a solid backup option for the number 8 positions.

The other option, Maximo Perrone, is a talented young midfielder admired by Guardiola. However, he has had limited playing time ever since he joined in January, and a loan move for him to a Championship standard team can't be ruled out.

However, I'd love to see Perrone stay, and develop under the guidance of the other midfielders on this list.

If McAtee, and in particular Phillips, are able to step up next season, then City will be just fine for depth in midfield, particularly given that Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez and Jack Grealish can play as more advanced midfielders.

However, they may find themselves slightly short in the case of an injury crisis, meaning City may choose to make a rare dip into the January transfer market to sign cover, but only if they find it necessary.

Wingers - Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Michael Olise, Sergio Gomez, Oscar Bobb

Firstly, onto the new boy. My opinion on Olise is that he was born to play for Manchester City. He is such a technically gifted player, and rarely gives the ball away unnecessarily.

These are traits Guardiola admires in a winger, as it helps the collective gain of the team, by maintaining possession and waiting for the right time, not the quickest time, to create a chance.

The Frenchman has these qualities in abundance, as well as the remarkable ability to cross accurately with both feet, a trait which we'd imagine will help Erling Haaland thrive even further.

Guardiola liked to use a wing pairing of Jack Grealish and Phil Foden a lot last season, with it proving most successful in City's 6-3 dismantling of local rivals Manchester United. I am certain that both of these players will remain at the club, and stay as crucial players, for many seasons to come.

Gomez has played - and impressed - at left wing in pre-season, and I'd love to see him appear as Grealish's main competition on the left hand side, with Foden and Olise competing for the right.

The new prospect for the season would appear to be Oscar Bobb, who caught the eye in City’s 3 pre-season fixtures. A Rico Lewis-esque breakthrough for the Norwegian winger is not out of the question.

This means we'd see Cole Palmer move out, either permanently or on loan, something I wouldn't oppose. The 21 year old has shown glimpses of his immense quality, but hasn't quite shone in the same way as Foden, Lewis, or even McAtee, in his first team appearances.

Many fans are unhappy with City's winger options, saying that City need a fast, direct winger. However, this just isn't Guardiola's style, and it would be ludicrous of the board to not replace Riyad Mahrez with a player who Guardiola would be able to properly utilise in his system.

Strikers - Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez

A strike force that will, hopefully, remain at the club for many more seasons, Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez are two of City's most recognisable and valuable players.

Given the lengths City went to last season to bring Haaland to the Etihad Stadium, they were never going to ship him out after 1 season.

As it was, Haaland exceeded all of even the most optimistic expectations, scoring a remarkable 52 goals in all competitions last season. He is the best striker in the world, and is going nowhere.

Alvarez is also one of the best strikers in the world, and was one of Argentina's most crucial players in their 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar. He will be rightly aggrieved about his role as a backup, given he would be a starter for the vast majority of teams in world football.

But Alvarez has a future at City, and I'd be very surprised if we don't see an increase in the 23 year old's minutes this season. He has the opportunity to stake a claim early in the season, if Pep Guardiola chooses to start him in the Community Shield ahead of Kevin de Bruyne, who is lacking sharpness.

There is no need to sign another striker, as, if there is a long term injury to either Haaland or Alvarez, City can revert to the false 9 strategy that helped them win the league title in 2020/21 and 2021/22. Phil Foden, Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva have all played that role before, and could do so in an injury crisis.

2023/24 ideal squad - recap:

Goalkeepers - Ederson, Ortega-Moreno, Carson.

Defenders - Walker, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Stones, Laporte, Ake, Gvardiol

Midfielders - Rodri, Phillips, De Bruyne, Kovacic, Bernardo, McAtee, Perrone

Wingers - Grealish, Foden, Olise, Gomez, Bobb

Forwards - Haaland, Alvarez

Total - 25 players.