Man City have begun the 2023/24 season as impeccably as they ended the 2022/23 campaign, with Pep Guardiola already extracting the maximum out of his players.
Although they’re without both Kevin De Bruyne and John Stones for a significant period, City’s squad depth has ensured that the juggernaut just keeps rolling.
When they’re in the mood, there’s simply no stopping them and at this early stage of the season, that’s a worry for their opponents both in the English top-flight and in Europe.
Unless financial gain is a player’s motivation, there really isn’t any need to look elsewhere, and that’s undoubtedly got something to do with the fact that both Bernardo Silva and Kyle Walker are closing in on contract extensions according to ESPN sources.
The pair were previously linked with moves away, and given that the club had already lost Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan, a move for Silva and Walker could well have tipped the scales as far as City were concerned.
To that end, the club and Guardiola deserve great credit for persuading them to stay on at the Etihad Stadium.
With more than enough time to strengthen in other areas before the transfer window closes on September 1, there’s a certain inevitability about City’s season already.
They can already be considered amongst the best in English football history, and if they were to come close to matching their success of last season, it could well put them in a class of their own.