A look at five targets that could have been useful additions for City this summer.
Although Manchester City spent fairly heavily as you would expect this summer, they didn’t always have things their own way in the transfer market, missing out on some big names and top targets, as well as leaving some key positions desperately under-strengthened.
Of course there is already plenty of quality at the Etihad Stadium, and the club look in good shape under the guidance of new manager Manuel Pellegrini, but here is a look at five alternative signings that could have made a real difference for the Sky Blues this season.
5. Pepe (Real Madrid)
An aggressive, experienced winner, Pepe played under Pellegrini when the Chilean spent a season in charge at Real Madrid. Like a few of his former players, Pepe was linked with a reunion with Pellegrini at City this summer, as the former Malaga boss was keen to bring in defensive reinforcements for his new club.
City underperformed last season, and could have done with some more solid alternatives to Vincent Kompany and the talented but inexperienced Matija Nastasic. 32-year-old Argentine centre-back Martin Demichelis was eventually brought in from Atletico Madrid, but that was only after City seemed to miss out on their top target Pepe, who is more the kind of calibre of player the club would have hoped to land this summer. Perhaps at 30 years of age, City felt his high asking price was not worth paying as he would not be a long-term option, but with injuries taking their toll they’d definitely take him now.
4. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Although City will have hoped Joe Hart’s dip in form last season would not last, it seems that the once-great England international is entering a real slump, and his errors have already cost his side vital points in a surprise 3-2 defeat to newly-promoted Cardiff City. Supposedly Roberto Mancini and David Platt would have replaced Hart with Asmir Begovic this summer, but Pellegrini would have done well to pounce on Iker Casillas’ uncertain situation at Real Madrid.
The long-serving Spanish goalkeeper has been a legendary figure at the Bernabeu, playing there for his entire career so far and becoming one of the best shot-stoppers the game has seen, winning everything there is to win at both club and international level. However, after a falling out with previous manager Jose Mourinho last season and being dropped to the bench, he has also found himself out of favour with new boss Carlo Ancelotti this term. Speculation rose towards the end of the summer that Casillas could be on the move for some much-needed first-team football in this World Cup year, with the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona also linked with the 32-year-old.
However, City were one of the few clubs who could realistically have afforded him, and perhaps Pellegrini showed a little too much faith to the declining Hart to really step up his pursuit of Casillas.
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.
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.
1. Edinson Cavani (PSG)
With Carlos Tevez leaving the club this summer and Edin Dzeko for some time being widely expected to follow, there were many big-name strikers being linked with a move to the Etihad, perhaps none bigger than Uruguayan international star Edinson Cavani, who instead swapped Napoli for a move to big-spending French giants PSG.
After his prolific form in Serie A over the last few years, there’s no doubt Cavani is the real deal, and his physical strength and build as well as natural ability make him ideally suited to Premier League football. Although City signed some good players in Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic, Cavani is certainly a level above that, though it is rumoured that the mega-rich club were not willing to meet Napoli’s asking price for the 26-year-old, who eventually cost around £57m. Given City’s considerable financial backing, it is surprising they didn’t push the boat out for this world class player who could’ve had a serious say on this season’s title race.