City boss fuming after easy win for Gunners at Wembley.
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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is set to undergo a major cull before the end of the summer transfer window as he aims to clear out a number of under-performers from his first-team squad, it has emerged.
The Chilean tactician was supposedly fuming at his side’s tame defeat at the hands of Arsenal in Sunday’s Community Shield clash at Wembley, with Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud scoring in what turned out to be a comfortable victory for Arsene Wenger’s side.
The manner of the defeat will cause some concern for Pellegrini, with the City boss admitting after the game that his side are “not ready” for the start of the new Premier League season, which begins next weekend.
As many as five of the team’s squad players have been identified as surplus to requirements, and the club will hope to offload them in the coming weeks as well as bringing in one or two replacements to enhance the quality of options available to Pellegrini at the Etihad Stadium.
5) Scott Sinclair
A surprise signing from Swansea City a couple of years ago, it is no real shock to see that Scott Sinclair has failed to make his mark at Manchester City. The former Chelsea youngster also made a minimal impact during a season-long loan spell with West Bromwich Albion last season, and may prove difficult to clear out. Still, City remain keen on getting the 25-year-old off their wage bill this summer, with his pre-season displays doing little to persuade Manuel Pellegrini that he can have any kind of future at the club.
4) Micah Richards
A long-serving defender, but no longer in Manchester City’s first-team plans as even the left-sided Gael Clichy was preferred to Micah Richards at right-back for much of the Community Shield game. Richards has always had the ability, but his attitude has been called into question on occasion and he has done little to work his way into Pellegrini’s first-team plans with his recent performances, despite having some opportunity to impress in the club’s pre-season friendlies. The likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United could still be interested in the former England international, who will also be keen to move after becoming something of a forgotten man at the Etihad Stadium.
3) Dedryck Boyata
Much criticised for his poor performance against Arsenal, it has been painfully clear for some time now that Dedryck Boyata is simply not Manchester City quality, and has barely looked good enough to be playing in the Premier League at times. Now 23, the Belgian defender can no longer be considered one for the future, and is going to have to show some miraculous improvement if he is to get anywhere near the City starting eleven anytime soon. It is not clear if there are currently any suitors for Boyata, but City will not ask for much to get this hapless centre-back off their books.
2) Matija Nastasic
Despite starting his time at Manchester City with so much promise when he joined from Fiorentina a couple of years ago, Matija Nastasic was another to be left wanting as Arsenal ran rings around the City defence at Wembley on Sunday. The Serbian international seems to have gone backwards in recent times and no longer looks like a player playing with full confidence. Arsenal themselves have been linked with the 21-year-old, though they may be reconsidering their interest now, while Juventus could also be among his suitors as City will hope to replace him with a higher quality central defender in Eliaquim Mangala, who is expected to join from Porto before the end of the summer.
1) Joe Hart
Although Joe Hart did not feature in the defeat to Arsenal, Manuel Pellegrini has warned the England international that he has no guarantee of being the club’s number one this season as Willy Caballero made his debut against the Gunners. It remains to be seen if the Argentine shot-stopper, a summer signing from Pellegrini’s old club Malaga, will keep his place in goal for the next game, but Hart’s up-and-down displays for much of last season don’t appear to have persuaded his boss that he is the best choice to be a regular starter in goal, and it now looks as though the club will be open to offers for him before the close of the transfer window.
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