It was a rare hectic summer for Manchester City as wild changes swept through the club.
Pep Guardiola usually favours gradual evolution rather than a full-on revolution in the transfer market but made moves to shake things up last year to keep City hungry for success. As a result, out went four players who had been so integral to so many trophy wins as Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling, Aleks Zinchenko and even captain Fernandinho all departed.
Signed in their places were Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Sergio Gomez and Kalvin Phillips as well as the extra additions of goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and defender Manuel Akanji. There was even unexpected drama in January as Joao Cancelo, having grown frustrated with his lack of minutes, left for Bayern Munich on loan while young midfielder Maximo Perrone arrived from Velez Sarsfield.
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Here's how City's seven signings have done so far.
Erling Haaland
What's there left to say about Haaland that hasn't already been said a million times? He is a freak of nature who makes scoring goals look like the easiest thing in the world. Other strikers need to sweat over scoring, it's what they are marked against after all, yet the Norwegian sensation just repeatedly finds the back of the net in the most nonchalant way possible.
Haaland has already broken countless records with his 42 goals in a mere 37 games, including the one for the most goals scored for City in a single season that had stood since 1929. He is just seven goals away from scoring the most in a single Premier League season, in his first campaign no less, and with plenty of games still to come it would be no surprise if he got up to 60 in all competitions.
There have still been moments in this season where City have struggled playing with a dedicated striker again and had difficulty finding Haaland. Those kinks now look completely ironed out and it's scary to think how much better he will be next season.
Julian Alvarez
Overshadowed by Haaland's arrival and subsequent goals, Alvarez has ticked along nicely since signing. The 23-year-old has had to move to a new continent but has settled quickly at City even when many initially thought he would rarely feature.
Yet the Argentine has proven a very useful addition. Starts have been limited given the talent ahead of him but whenever given a chance he usually delivers and has a healthy return of 12 goals and four assists. With a World Cup win wedged in the middle, in which he played a pivotal role, and a new contract already signed, Alvarez couldn't have hoped for his first year in England to go any better.
Kalvin Phillips
Phillips is right at the other end of the spectrum, however, as he has struggled since his move from Leeds United. Phillips always knew he would have a hard task getting in the side ahead of the exceptional Rodri but even he must have expected to get more minutes under his belt.
The Yorkshireman has racked up just 342 minutes so far for his new club and is yet to make a Premier League start. A troublesome shoulder injury towards the end of 2022, which required surgery, did limit his availability but he has been fit since the World Cup and has rarely got a look in. With every match remaining set to be crucial, it seems unlikely he will start much more than the three times he has unless Rodri gets injured.
Manuel Akanji
Not much was made of Akanji's low-key arrival from Borussia Dortmund. City made a move for another centre-back towards the end of the window when all of Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake and John Stones were dealing with injuries and settled on the cheap £15million addition of the Swiss.
Borussia Dortmund hardly seemed fussed about allowing him to leave and it appeared he would just be a backup option. But instead, he has really impressed Guardiola with consistently steady and reliable performances and soared up the pecking order. Akanji is now first choice alongside Ruben Dias with Stones and Ake playing at full-back and Laporte struggling to get a look in. His impact has been an unexpected surprise.
Sergio Gomez
Spaniard Gomez was originally earmarked to go back out on loan when the deal was being made to sign him from Anderlecht and he has looked every bit a player deemed not ready to be in the first team. The only reason City ended up keeping him around is that they made a rare mishap by allowing Zinchenko to leave before his replacement was signed. Marc Cucurella was expected to arrive but City then refused to meet Brighton's asking price and he headed for Chelsea instead.
It has looked like a dodged bullet with Cucurella struggling at Stamford Bridge but Gomez hasn't fared much better in his rare appearances. It would be a surprise if he's in the squad again next season.
Stefan Ortega
Back-up goalkeeper Ortega has really impressed in his few appearances. Though there was one dodgy game against Southampton, he has otherwise been a really dependable hand and kept six clean sheets in nine games.
He was particularly excellent in a victory over Chelsea in which he made a string of superb saves. Some Blues fans have even called for him to get chances in the league over Ederson.
Maximo Perrone
No one expected to see anything of Perrone following his arrival in January given he looked to be another player destined to spend the next few years out on loan. Yet, he has remained in the squad and has clearly impressed Guardiola as he's already been given two cameos off the bench, including a lengthy 20 minutes against Bournemouth, in which he's acquitted himself well.
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