With Manchester City expected to get well behind the 2019/20 Premier League champions in Liverpool, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Pep Guardiola making some timely personnel changes for next season.
His balancing act could be made even more difficult if the Court of Arbitration for Sport also upholds UEFA ‘s City suspension for the next two seasons of the Champions League.
Those players who are keen to keep playing at the highest level in that eventuality are likely to put up new pasture sticks. Yet in any case, central defense remains a problem spot for Guardiola, with the possible exception of Aymeric Laporte.
With City missing badly, John Stones still flatters to deceive a chief in the Vincent Kompany mold.
Calciomercato, quoted by the Daily Mail, reports that Pep will aim for Inter’s Milan Skriniar to transfer in the summer, but Nerazzurri coach Antonio Conte will aim in exchange for Sergio Aguero.
When Lautaro Martinez transfers to Barcelona in the summer and Inter is unable to arrange another loan deal for Alexis Sanchez with Manchester United, instead, Conte will be on the lookout for partner striker Romelu Lukaku.
A formula of ‘big guy, little guy’ could work well for Serie A team, but it’s doubtful that Guardiola ‘s biggest ever striker will leave without battling.
