2. Isco (Real Madrid)
As soon as Pellegrini began to be linked with the City job, his star player at Malaga also looked almost certain to be joining him in Manchester this season. Exciting young talent Isco looked like developing into a fantastic player under Pellegrini’s guidance, and it only seemed logical from both sides that the pair would look to work together again. However, the 21-year-old opted for a move to Real Madrid, with the lure of playing for his country’s biggest club perhaps too good to turn down.
City could certainly have done with a player like Isco to take the pressure off the jaded David Silva to be the club’s main playmaker, and for only around £25m they would have landed themselves a player who will surely go on to be one of the best in the world for many years to come.