Since the departure of Raheem Sterling in the summer it has been clear that Manchester City lack pace in wide areas and with Erling Haaland leading the line, it seems critical that Pep Guardiola fills this void in order to supply Haaland’s goalscoring appetite.
There is no question that Manchester City’s current wide players are good enough to succeed at City, but the one thing they all lack is the one thing Guardiola can’t teach them: electric pace.
Guardiola teams of the past have always featured this profile of player, with Arjen Robben at Bayern Munich and Lionel Messi at Barcelona having the ability to bypass defences with their sheer pace and dribbling ability.
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With the potential large fee City could be receiving for full-back Joao Cancelo, this summer that gives Guardiola and City finances to reinvest in wide areas, but who should they prioritise?
Rafael Leao
A player all the European heavyweights will be interested in this summer is Portuguese international Rafael Leao. The 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength since joining AC Milan from Lille in 2019 scoring 36 times and providing 31 assists.
Leao has the quick turn of pace that City currently lack, his close-control dribbling makes him a nightmare for any defence in Europe and he is certainly more prolific in front of goal than others on the list. Leao is still yet to put pen to paper over a proposed contract extension with his current deal ending in the summer of 2024, a situation City should be monitoring closely.
Leroy Sane
Manchester City have never really truly filled the boots of Leroy Sane since his departure in 2020, a key player for Manchester City’s centurions that perhaps left the club prematurely. Sane is now 27 but doesn’t look like there’s any chance of him losing his notorious pace anytime soon, with the German clocking a 36.5kph sprint in 2022.
Sane racked up 28 Premier League assists in his time with City, and that’s the kind of productive output Manchester City need to provide for Erling Haaland. Sane’s contract runs out in 2025 and with only 13 Bundesliga starts for Bayern Munich this season he could be tempted to look for new opportunities. With City in the market for a winger it could be a reunion that makes sense for all parties.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Another player who will be at the top of a lot of clubs' shopping lists this summer is Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian winger has been a major part in Napoli’s runaway Serie A campaign, helping his side sit 15 points clear with ten goals and nine assists.
Kvaratskhelia has the longest contract out of any players on this list with his deal at the Italian giants ending in 2027 meaning the cost of any potential deal is likely to be pricey. At the age of just 22 Kvaratskhelia would be a signing City good build their future on, and with an average of 2.7 successful dribbles per game in the Champions League, he’s exactly the type of profile City are looking for.
Kaoru Mitoma
Likely to be the cheapest option on this list, Kaoru Mitoma has taken the Premier League by storm this season, with his dribbling abilities catching the attention of the Premier League’s top sides. The Japanese wingers form this season has been credited by many to the 25-year-old's decision to study at the University of Tsukuba where he wrote a thesis on the art of dribbling.
Mitoma claims his studies helped ‘double’ his dribbling capabilities, and it is clear to see the impact it’s had on his game with Mitoma completing 60% of his attempted take-on’s in the Premier League this season. Mitoma’s pedigree in front of goal has also impressed this season, with only Erling Haaland and Phil Foden outscoring him from Manchester City’s squad.
A deal could be difficult for City to pull off in the summer however, with Brighton demonstrating their reluctance to sell their most valuable assets by refusing to do a deal with Arsenal for Moises Caicedo in January. Mitoma might lack the experience at the top level that City are looking for, but the winger has exhibited all the qualities needed to succeed at a club like City.
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