3. Hernanes (Lazio)
Midfielders were high on the agenda for Manchester City this summer, with the club moving quickly to bring in Brazilian star Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk for £30m, though it was also thought that they would look to sign another before the end of the transfer window.
Gareth Barry and Javi Garcia were unimpressive in their midfield roles last season, and while Barry has left the club on loan to Everton for a season, Garcia remains and looks unconvincing in the Premier League. Hernanes was reportedly another target for City, and his fine performances for Lazio over the last couple of years suggest he could have added some real quality to Pellegrini’s side from the middle of the park.
The Brazilian is a combative box-to-box player with a fierce shot, scoring more goals from outside the box than any other player in Europe last season, and those are exactly the qualities Barry and Garcia were unable to provide. The 28-year-old could have formed a fine partnership with his fellow countryman Fernandinho, who prefers to sit back a little more, and it is certainly a surprise that neither City nor anyone else moved for this top talent this summer.