Manchester City look set to secure their second marquee signing of the summer with Kalvin Phillips close to sealing a move to the Premier League champions.
Pep Guardiola was always after a replacement for Fernandinho upon his return to his native Brazil, but while the seemingly imminent capture of the England star is exciting, it’s also eyebrow-raising. Not many believe Rodri will get dropped quickly after a stellar season and Phillips will likely have been guaranteed game time upon a transfer agreement.
This means there's every possibility that Guardiola may occasionally opt to name two holding midfielders in his line-ups going forward - a far cry from his thinking in the 2021 Champions League final. And with Kevin De Bruyne going nowhere, it means there’s little room for anyone else in the midfield.
