The Squad planning thread

Aside from maybe a bit of complacency after winning four of the last five titles, I think there are a few reasons why this feels like a bit of a transitional season and why we need a refresh in the summer for us to kick on again.

Playing with Haaland is a big deviation from the way we attacked in the previous two seasons. The players are still adjusting to it, and Pep is still trying to work out the best way to utilize him without making us weaker defensively. With a couple of adjustments, I think our attack will really click in to place next season.

In my opinion, we need to add some pace on the wings to make us a bit less predictable. It would also give us the option of occasionally playing long for Haaland to hold it up and have someone run beyond him which we don't currently have.

We've got a lot of players who have been here for all or most of Pep's tenure listening to the same voice for five or six years and after a while things can become a bit stale, not to mention playing in a Pep team must be extremely draining mentally and physically. We probably need to replace a few of them with new players who haven't worked with Pep before for his message to have more of an effect.

Similarly, there's a few who apparently want to leave and it's not a good idea to keep people who don't want to be here as we need everyone signing from the same hymn sheet. I think we'll see a couple of them leave and replaced by players who are desperate to come to City.
 
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Will be an interesting summer in regards to departures, the board might have to choose between being net spend FC, something theyve been moving toward for years, and getting the players out pep wants out. To do that, we might have to take an unfavourable deal here or there. Something the club has refused to do in recent years.

Personally I would like a bit of a reset with everyone who wants out allowed to go. i would like to see Gundogan not renewed and allowed to leave, bernardo sold to PSG and cancelo moved on. Personally I think we should sell one of the centre backs too, as 5 is too many and is going to lead to sad faces. I would sell Ake personally, on the back of a good season for decent value. However i Could see the club opting to sell Dias or Laporte instead. I'd keep Laporte at all costs unless he wants out.

Then incoming we need a new winger of a different profile to what we have IE pace, a new left back and two central midfielders, with one of foden or grealish graduating into more appearances in the 8 as well. with the CM's, one big money signing, one clever signing is probably the way.
 
I personally think we could see a HUGE spend this summer as Pep making certain things public about the club being complacent etc will be mild to what’s being said behind the scenes imo and khaldoon after seeing the sluggishness of the team , fan and media reaction and Peps annoyance, I can see him sanctioning a spend like the summer after Peps first season when there was a MAJOR overhaul.
 
richards30 said:
I personally think we could see a HUGE spend this summer as Pep making certain things public about the club being complacent etc will be mild to what’s being said behind the scenes imo and khaldoon after seeing the sluggishness of the team , fan and media reaction and Peps annoyance, I can see him sanctioning a spend like the summer after Peps first season when there was a MAJOR overhaul.
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I've reasoned the same for the last few seasons. We don't throw money around willy nilly, but we must have amassed hundreds of millions through sales & unspent transfer budgets over the last 3 seasons.

Surely it's because we've assessed a BIG splurge is gonna be needed soon? \0/

Bernardo wants out.

Gundog will be 33 soon.

Something seems up between the club & Cancelo. He's 29 in the summer & now is possibly the best time to sell him at his prime & move on.

Walker will be 33 soon.

Kev will be 32

Mahrez will be 32

Added to the fact we need a LB or two, we've got a huge rebuilding job to do over the next two summer windows, not to mention the 2 seasons it normally takes for our new signings to bed in, settle & become used to our style of play.

Our net-spend achievements over the last 4-5 seasons must be for a very good reason. I think it could be for a huge rebuild over last summer, this summer & the summer of 2024.
 
Dribble said:
I've reasoned the same for the last few seasons. We don't throw money around willy nilly, but we must have amassed hundreds of millions through sales & unspent transfer budgets over the last 3 seasons.

Surely it's because we've assessed a BIG splurge is gonna be needed soon? \0/

Bernardo wants out.

Gundog will be 33 soon.

Something seems up between the club & Cancelo. He's 29 in the summer & now is possibly the best time to sell him at his prime & move on.

Walker will be 33 soon.

Kev will be 32

Mahrez will be 32

Added to the fact we need a LB or two, we've got a huge rebuilding job to do over the next two summer windows, not to mention the 2 seasons it normally takes for our new signings to bed in, settle & become used to our style of play.

Our net-spend achievements over the last 4-5 seasons must be for a very good reason. I think it could be for a huge rebuild over last summer, this summer & the summer of 2024.
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I’d love us to swag in with sheer arrogance and just blow £300m plus gross spend and just blitz every fucker again!
 
richards30 said:
I’d love us to swag in with sheer arrogance and just blow £300m plus gross spend and just blitz every fucker again!
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Agreed, we need to step up the pressure. I'm pretty sure Guardiola didn't extend for another 2 years just to watch what he's built over the last 7 years fizzle out.

Fernandinho was the last of our original squad, but it seems the time is drawing to a close for Guardiola's first recruits to be moving on too.

We need to stay ahead of the rumoured squad discontent & fuck off all of those who aren't down with City's programme before the discontent spreads through the squad like a covid 19 outbreak...
 
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - 50mil
Moussa Diaby - 65mil
Alphonso Davies 80mil

SMS gets a bucketload of goals and assists, technically solid, is in his prime, works well with a dominant striker and can take some of the pressure away from Kev. Also 6ft4 so can add a lot of physicality. Contract up in 2024 so shouldn’t be massively expensive.

Diaby is rapid and can play either wing. Creates a good amount of chances, decent injury record, good dribbler.

Alphonso Davies, if he ever wanted to leave, would be our first choice LB for the next decade.

If Barca have to sell, I’d love Araujo & Balde. Bellingham would be the icing on the cake if we’re truly in for him.

Gundogan, Bernardo, Cancelo (if he wants out), Mahrez and whatever we get for Porro and the academy sales. Works out around 80mil net which ain’t unrealistic at all. Drops the average age down massively.
 
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richards30 said:
I personally think we could see a HUGE spend this summer as Pep making certain things public about the club being complacent etc will be mild to what’s being said behind the scenes imo and khaldoon after seeing the sluggishness of the team , fan and media reaction and Peps annoyance, I can see him sanctioning a spend like the summer after Peps first season when there was a MAJOR overhaul.
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It's much needed, the pack is closing in fast, if we don't spend big this summer we will regret it.

Also time to bring back Fern to be Pep's No2 and get him ready to take over in the future, we miss his leadership and mentality around the place.
 
Sir Joe Aguero said:
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - 50mil
Moussa Diaby - 65mil
Alphonso Davies 80mil

SMS gets a bucketload of goals and assists, technically solid, is in his prime, works well with a dominant striker and can take some of the pressure away from Kev. Also 6ft4 so can add a lot of physicality. Contract up in 2024 so shouldn’t be massively expensive.

Diaby is rapid and can play either wing. Creates a good amount of chances, decent injury record, good dribbler.

Alphonso Davies, if he ever wanted to leave, would be our first choice LB for the next decade.

If Barca have to sell, I’d love Araujo & Balde. Bellingham would be the icing on the cake if we’re truly in for him.

Gundogan, Bernardo, Cancelo (if he wants out), Mahrez and whatever we get for Porro and the academy sales. Works out around 80mil net which ain’t unrealistic at all. Drops the average age down massively.
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Money is not the question, the question is will those player want to join City? Particulary Sergei and Alphonse, no amount of money will convince them because they already loves and settled with the club.
 
Kamaro011 said:
Money is not the question, the question is will those player want to join City? Particulary Sergei and Alphonse, no amount of money will convince them because they already loves and settled with the club.
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SMS has been ready to move for a few years now mate but lazio priced him out of a move? Davies is worth a serious look as in the summer he will only have one year left on his contract?
 
Bluemoon has risen said:
I want a 17-18 summer. Bollocks to net spend, I want us to be ruthless and I want the rest of the league to cry about it.
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Completely agree. Bellingham, a top class left back and a searingly quick winger, regardless of cost.

We top the rich list apparently, so let’s actually fucking spend some of it. If the chavs can then we can, and more.
 
Kamaro011 said:
Money is not the question, the question is will those player want to join City? Particulary Sergei and Alphonse, no amount of money will convince them because they already loves and settled with the club.
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SMS is running his contract down, wants to win a trophy and is being linked with Arsenal/Juventus/Liverpool. Alphonso, maybe, maybe not, but Bayern look significantly worse than they do a couple of years ago.
 
Mitoma is superb. Granted, Bloom would want an obscene amount - as he's put out that 60m for Caicedo is 'stupidly low'
 
I'm of the opinion that we should really consider Mitoma. Very impressive player. Excellent dribbler and beats his man regularly.

Arsenal and Chelsea got couple players off them. Brighton are probably willing to sell if the compensation is right.
 
Can see Cancelo, Bernado and one of our centre backs leaving in the summer, possibly Laporte.

We then have

De Bruybe 32 this year
Walker 33
Gundogan 33 in the next season
Mahrez 32

For me in the next two seasons we are going to neeed to be looking to replace these players and thinking about the future.

It’s going to be quite a big challenge.
 
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