The Squad planning thread

Fuck me we must be playing 5 a side next season
Unfortunately we have flooded our squad with so much Average its not even funny, so the rebuild we done, has to be rebuilt again because the players we rebuilt with are nowhere near good enough. We have around 7 players who are vital, after that I wouldnt be arsed if we sold the whole squad
 
Unfortunately we have flooded our squad with so much Average its not even funny, so the rebuild we done, has to be rebuilt again because the players we rebuilt with are nowhere near good enough. We have around 7 players who are vital, after that I wouldnt be arsed if we sold the whole squad

It’s amazing we won two trophies last season and finished 2nd.
 
Unfortunately we have flooded our squad with so much Average its not even funny, so the rebuild we done, has to be rebuilt again because the players we rebuilt with are nowhere near good enough. We have around 7 players who are vital, after that I wouldnt be arsed if we sold the whole squad
Thats nonsense, one or 2 might want to leave and need replacing but if they don’t 2 signings and we are ready to push on, which is why we were the best team second half of the season, beat arsenal and liverpool twice, won 2 cups and were the only team pushin arsenal for the league.
 
If we need to add club trained players then I think Felix Nmecha is a good option. He can replace Nico G as he is a much more dynamic player
 
Dominoe effect the Julian Alvarez transfer to Barca means Atletico have money and according to their journalists they want Marmoush and Reijnders
 
Football transfer world is gonna be wild by the sounds of it this summer even though most clubs are posting losses?! Rags have £250m to spend, Arsenal are going to bring in 3-4 top class additions it seems, Dippers going big as well again probably and in Europe, PSG, Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid are going to be spending big as well, maybe Athletico Madrid join the party as well. Next year is going to be a battle for the league and Europe so Hugo and the club need to get it right and pay for our top targets as much as possible as the B and C options to give Maresca a proper chance
 
Unfortunately we have flooded our squad with so much Average its not even funny, so the rebuild we done, has to be rebuilt again because the players we rebuilt with are nowhere near good enough. We have around 7 players who are vital, after that I wouldnt be arsed if we sold the whole squad

One of the issues we had is we had to buy last January just to make the champions league so Marmoush, Nico and Khusanov came in and only Khusanov is definitely going to be here next season. While some may not be here long term they did help us stabilise our season. Nico made a good impact covering for Rodri earlier this season. In fairness Reijnders has disappointed and it appears that the premier league just doesn’t suit him.

Cherki, Guehi, Donarumma and Semenyo have all made significant impacts. If Trafford leaves we’ll make our money back.
 
Fuck me we must be playing 5 a side next season
Our squad is pretty big though, if anything this is a good thing as it trims the fat and allows some quality which we're lacking

Lets assume Marmoush, Savinho, Nico G, Reijnders, Trafford, Ake (and Kovacic and Lewis) all leave and for argument sake lets throw in Gvardiol which i cant see happening

Even if ALL of those leave, this is a our XI

- - - - - - - - Donnarumma- - - - - -
Nunes - - Dias - - Guehi - - RAN
- - - - - - Rodri - - - - NOR - - - - - -
Semenyo - - - Cherki - - - Doku
- - - - - - - - - - Haaland - - - - - - - - -

That is a title winning XI imo, maybe the only weakness if RAN at LB and that is easily mitigated by either 1. Gvardiol stays or 2. Anderson joins as expected and NOR goes to LB

Obviously our backup options aren't amazing in this hypothetical but we still have
• Foden or Khusanov who are first teamer level players, making up a 13 "core" players
• Reis, Alleyne, Echeverri, Nypan & McAidoo as young hungry players who could step into a squad role
• Mfuni, Mukasa, McFarlane, Heskey, Fapetu etc. On the periphery

Dont expect the club to sit around hoping for net spend of zero this year, think we will back Maresca
 
Thats nonsense, one or 2 might want to leave and need replacing but if they don’t 2 signings and we are ready to push on, which is why we were the best team second half of the season, beat arsenal and liverpool twice, won 2 cups and were the only team pushin arsenal for the league.
Agreed. I don’t think there will be anywhere near the churn demanded by some.

Anderson
Porro for Savinho (undisclosed fees)
Reis replaces Ake

Assuming all others remain (Lewis/Kovacic depart), which I anticipate, then all that remains is a winger. Given how established Doku and Semenyo are, we either go with someone experienced but expecting fewer minutes, or we carry a project, which is in keeping with recent windows.

I found the Detourbet deal with AS Monaco intriguing, particularly its timing and announcement. Just a hunch, but my half a crown would be on us signing Akliouche and giving him a season to develop to the English game.

Anyone who’s watched Cherki and Akliouche for France knows that they share an almost telepathic understanding on the pitch.

Anderson
Porro
Reis
Akliouche
 
I imagine we'd be relatively willing to sell any of Marmoush, Reijnders, Nico, Rico, Savinho and Ake if we get good offers for them, so I expect them all to be at least linked with moves away.

There's no way we'll sell them all though, after already losing Stones and Bernardo.
 
From Sam Lees article

What positions will they be looking at in the summer window?​

A right-back, central midfielder and winger are priority areas but with several players potentially leaving, there could be other areas that need reinforcing, like in goal if James Trafford were to leave, for example, or there may be a need for two midfielders if others in that position move on.

Are there any specific players they are targeting?​

Elliot Anderson is the main target in midfield, though they have been keeping tabs on other options, like Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali. City have been credited with an interest in Enzo Fernandez though they say that is not a deal they are actively looking to do.

Players that could leave according to Sam Lee

Who will they be looking to sell?​

Nico Gonzalez is one player who could be moving on this summer after struggling to break into the team since he joined in January 2025, even if that was on Guardiola’s watch. Tijani Reijnders has only had one season at City and started well enough, but could not get into the side after Christmas and there is uncertainty about him, too.

Nathan Ake is also expected to leave. Bayern hold some interest in Josko Gvardiol.

The expectation throughout the season has been that Trafford will move on, after he was devastated by City’s decision to bring in Gianluigi Donnarumma after the Englishman had returned to the club in July, but it remains to be seen whether Maresca’s arrival changes the situation.

Savinho and Omar Marmoush are others who could attract interest, too.

These “Journalists” are stealing a living. There’s nothing here that we didn’t already know.
 
I’d sell Rodri this summer as we start this new era, can’t be fucking arsed seeing him flirting with leaving! Josko literally was talking positively about being back etc and saying we yet Rodri just doesn’t talk like that? No rest this summer for him either and probably more niggles early next season so I’m in the get Tonali alongside Anderson camp and rebuild from day one with Maresca
I tend to agree with you. It doesn't have to be Tonali, although I like the player. I'd also consider either Fernandes from West Ham and Scott from Bournemouth. I don't believe Maresca will even be employing the "Rodri role" we've become accustomed to under Pep. Anderson in tandem with Tonali, Fernandes, or Scott would be mint. I love Rodri and in tandem with Anderson would also be mint. But there are questions around his health, his age regarding a longer term extension, his wage requirements, and even his wanting to be here 100%. Bernardo was an extreme exception. Almost impossible for someone with their heart set on being someplace else to perform at 100% efficiency...JMO
 

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