I wouldn’t have picked Cucurella or Phillips.
However I think City and Pep are very good at improving players to play a certain way.
It is likely that what City see in these two is that they have certain aspects that suit the team and the skills they lack can be taught relatively quickly.
City and Liverpool don't make many mistakes in the transfer market and so in this case it could well be that I just don’t have the information that City have so I incorrectly question it.
I don’t think there are many posters on here who recommended either of these guys before it came out we wanted them though, of course, there are plenty that want them now!
I certainly don’t go along with City buying backups. Over time that will weaken the squad. Every player gets matches at City and all of them have to accept being rested or don’t come.
For example I think if City thought they could get Rice this window for an affordable price they would get him. They have ruled him out for financial reasons rather than Phillips will be happy to be benched whereas Rice wouldn’t accept it.
KDB gets benched at City. This is the way City think and us fans need to catch up.