It's extremely rare to get an insight into the Manchester City boardroom, and anything that does come out will be heavily controlled.
Which is why it was interesting that City included an intriguing five-minute conversation between Txiki Begiristain and Omar Berrada in their latest episode of the behind-the-scenes documentary showing how the club won the Premier League last season.
This wasn't 'fly-on-the-wall', more a situation where both men were fully aware they were being filmed, so the conversation was bound to have taken place with the intention that it would be shown in the documentary. So to hear Begiristain openly compare City's spending and contract situations with other big clubs around Europe was interesting, and it may also suggest what the Blues are planning to do next when it comes to contract renewals.
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Discussing a list of players in the final year of their contracts around Europe in early 2022, Berrada says: "We have the list on the left of Mbappe, Pogba, Dybala, Rudiger. All of them are reaching the last months of their contract. You didn't see that in the past."
Begiristain replies: "If you told me 10 years ago that players like Mbappe, Pogba. Look at what clubs we're talking about. We're talking about PSG. See smaller teams not letting players go? It's easier for the player to assume the risk. But for a player to assume the risk of ending his contract, and by this I mean you suffer an injury?
"You suffer an injury and nobody will sign you. But you're talking about PSG players, and Manchester United, Juventus, Milan, Inter, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Barca, oh my god... it's incredible. But think about the risk they're taking... these first six months [before a player can sign for another club]. You better not get injured, like suffer a severe injury. But the list is incredible, Omar. The list is incredible. Also the list with one year left, damn. We already have some in this one."
Since that conversation, City have tied down Rodri and Riyad Mahrez to new long-term contracts, while allowing Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to leave for a combined £120million with all set to enter the final years of their contract.
"In the end, here is about keeping talent, maintain the balance," says Berrada after listing the 10 contract extensions secured between 2021 and 2022
By extending contracts and selling others, the risk that Begiristain talks about is gone and City are able to protect the value of their players by acting early. Now, there are just two first-team players out of contract next summer and a further two in 2024.
One is Scott Carson, whose situation and position within the squad probably wouldn't consider him a 'risk', but Ilkay Gundogan is someone who may be more concerning to City if he approaches the final six months of his deal. Gundogan has been clear that he wants to stay, and calm about expected talks with City.
If there is any player in the squad to allow into the final year of his contract, the risk is minimised with the new club captain, and it would be no surprise to see him earn a new deal in the coming months.
Then onto 2024, where there are two more important squad members out of contract. Phil Foden is reportedly close to agreeing a new deal, which would be significant as he would certainly be a player of the quality alongside those Begiristain mentioned as "incredibly" entering the last year of their contract.
Then there is Kyle Walker, who will turn 34 at the end of his current deal. That factor reduces the risk of losing out on a significant fee should he run the contract down, but few at City would complain if he secured an extension for another year after that.
So while those three players may be the next to get a new deal, the conversation also showed that City won't just offer contracts for the sake of it, and the structure they say is so sustainable will be put first.
Berrada said: "And we know that when you win you have the pressure from players and agents where they're always asking for more salary. And you need to resist, right? To maintain the balance of keeping players because of their on-pitch performance, but at the same time we also need to maintain a structure and stability."
Foden may be the biggest contract risk at the moment, even with the best part of two years left before it expires, so tying him down will avoid him being mentioned in any equivalent transfer conversations from other clubs. And the insight from Begiristain and Berrada shows that Gundogan and Walker could also be earmarked for new deals given their aversion to the risk of letting a player enter the final months of their deals without a solution planned.
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