Stevan Jovetic: The Saga Ends

Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic has caught the eye of many of Europe’s top clubs in the past few years after impressing for Fiorentina in the Serie A. Clubs such as Arsenal, Juventus and Real Madrid have all been linked with the 23-year-old in the past couple of years, and finally the saga over which one of the big clubs will secure his signature is complete, after the striker completed a move to Manchester City for a fee of just over £20m, becoming their fourth big signing of the summer, after deals for Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo (both from Sevilla) and Fernandinho (formerly of Shakhtar Donetsk) went through earlier in the window.

A new striker is something that has been highlighted as an important target for City ever since the sale of Mario Balotelli in January to AC Milan. Then, the need intensified earlier this summer as Carlos Tevez ended his controversial spell at the Etihad by sealing a move to Juventus for around £10m. All manner of names were linked with a possible transfer to the Blues after those deals, from Wayne Rooney to Fred, from Pablo Osvaldo to Oscar Cardozo. However, despite the quality that those players possess, the names that stood out to me were the ones belonging to Negredo and Jovetic, who have both become the two latest players to sign on at City.

Personally, I’m very pleased that we’ve secured the signing of Jovetic. Not only am I glad that it means we’ve replaced Tevez and Balotelli properly, but I also believe Jovetic is a very good player, and has proved himself worthy of this chance in one of the world’s best squads. Hopefully, it will give him the drive to improve as a player, and reach his maximum potential, and if it does, City will have acquired a very useful asset at an early age.

Although his stats in Serie A last season (scoring 13 in 31 games in the league) may not look much to the untrained eye, for me they are very impressive. The Montenegrin has said before his preferred role is not really as the main out-and-out striker, but more as a striker that supplies goals for his partners upfront. This means that a goal record of a goal just under every three games is impressive for a striker of that sort. I believe his best role would to play just behind the main striker, so he can link between the midfielders and the main man upfront, and also chip in with a goal when necessary. I can also see this happening under Pellegrini too, with David Silva playing out on the left-wing, as he has done on occasion in the past.

At points this summer, it did look like City wouldn’t be signing Jovetic at all, with Real Madrid and Juventus both being heavily linked, and as we know, it’s very difficult to turn those clubs down, being very big in their home countries and worldwide. However, Juventus signing Tevez left them with him, Fernando Llorente and Mirko Vucinic upfront, almost ensuring there would be little effort to bring Jovetic in too, as that would just hot up the competition in what is already a very formidable attack at i Bianconeri. There was talk he was set for a move to the Santiago Bernabeu a few weeks ago, with some sources even claiming he had agreed terms with Real, but those rumours thankfully look to have been false, and he’s now signed on to an exciting project at City instead.

It’s a satisfying feeling to have finally nabbed Jovetic after chasing him for so long, as we were linked with him on many occasions when Roberto Mancini was still the manager at City, even though City still had the quartet of Aguero, Tevez, Dzeko, and Balotelli at the time. Speculation which was heavy at times died down a lot after Aguero became a record signing for the club from Atletico Madrid in 2011, and then the rest is history. However, it picked back up again in recent weeks after the sale of Tevez, and came to a conclusion this week.

Whilst some are touting Jovetic to be a failure at City, I’m certainly not going with this tide. Generally, people wouldn’t think he would be, although people are starting to gain a dislike for City, and also a history of failed transfers in the last few years has caused some to go against big names such as this signing for the Blues. However, these thoughts have little foundation to them, and are based on history of other players, and not reading too much into the player in question. I think Jovetic will play a big part for City this season, and it’s looking like a promising campaign is on the cards for the Blues, after some impressive summer transfers already.

The one concern I do have surrounding this transfer is the effect it will have on young Swedish striker John Guidetti, who looked set to be given his big chance this season before the arrivals of Negredo and Jovetic. I voiced these concerns when Negredo was announced too, as I, like many other Blues, are eager to see Guidetti in action after a torrid time over the last year or so, following on from a dazzling performance with Feyenoord in the 2011-12 season. He looks to be fifth-choice at the Etihad now though, and a loan spell could be on the cards in order for him to gain Premier League experience before being given his chance here at City. However, having had several loan spells away from Manchester already in his career, it remains to be seen whether he will be happy to have another.

You’re never too sure when a new signing comes in just how successful they’ll be at your club; you always have to see them in action a few times first before making a judgement. That’s how I’m feeling about Jovetic at the moment, I’m nervous because the transfer may not come off for City, and we’ll have wasted a large sum of money on the player, but I am very happy he’s here and not at Stamford Bridge or The Emirates, where he was both linked to before putting pen-to-paper up north instead. I have a sneaky feeling my nervous thoughts will be proved wrong, but they will linger until I’ve seen him in action a few times at the start of an exciting season for Manchester City.

Alvaro Negredo – City’s Newest Spaniard

Manchester City have been in the market for a new striker, and been linked with all manner of names from Edinson Cavani to Pablo Osvaldo, for a while now, ever since Argentine Carlos Tevez departed for Juventus last month. After a few weeks of searching, it looks like the Blues have finally closed the search for a new striker, with Alvaro Negredo becoming the third signing of the summer , from Sevilla for a deal of around £21m.

This deal has received much praise and criticism from fans of football around the world. Whilst some believe that City have got a great deal for the 27-year-old, others believe they have overpaid for a striker unproven in the Premier League, and unworthy of the price that the Blues have paid for him. Whilst that is true, we can’t forget about the huge number of unproven players who’ve come to this league and performed very well. I see no reason why this shouldn’t apply for Negredo too.

The reason why I am positive about Negredo coming into this league and doing well for City, is his stats for last club Sevilla. He joined them in 2009, from Almeria, and went on to make 139 league appearances in the four seasons, scoring 70 goals, which is over a goal every other game. This is very impressive for me, and there are few strikers that City could have bought with a similar record.

He also seems pleased that he has been given the chance to prove himself outside Spain for the first time in his career, and seems determined to prove himself to all his doubters. This is very good, as it means he won’t give up, and he’ll keep going until he’s proved himself here, and beyond. We’ve seen before now that players haven’t had this mentality when they’ve moved here, and not succeeded in this league, because they’ve not had the drive to get back up from things that knock them down, recover and improve as a player as a result of it.

I’m not going to lie, I was a bit sceptical about this transfer when I first heard about it being in the early stages. I hadn’t seen a huge amount of him beforehand, with the little I had being in Euro 2012, in which he wasn’t particularly impressive, and as such I wasn’t too happy when we originally got linked with him. However, looking at the stats now, especially from last season in which he was the top-scoring Spaniard in La Liga, with 25 goals, and 32 in all competitions. As we know, the stats convey quality, so it’s looking very positive for the Blues.

One thing I’m unsure about is quite where Negredo will fit in in the City side this season. I have a feeling he may have been brought in to replace Dzeko, who will drop to the bench once again under Pellegrini. Negredo is a similar player to the Bosnian, and could link up better with Jesus Navas (who also moved to City from Sevilla this summer) than Dzeko would, making a better partnership and having a better effect as City look to win the Barclays Premier League title back this season.

With Stevan Jovetic also having now joined City too, it raises the question what this season will bring for John Guidetti, Manchester City’s young Swedish striker, who’s had a nightmare year thanks to injury. Many were predicting him to have a good season this time round after the departures of Tevez and Balotelli, and many were also hoping he’d get that deserved chance too. However, with the captures of Negredo and Jovetic, that is starting to look a lot less likely now, and I think a loan spell is on the cards now for the Swede, probably in the Premier League in order to have experience here before City’s management give him his chance. However, he might not be happy with this after already having a fair few loan spells in his career so far, and may feel it’s time to move on from the Etihad, to a team where he is first-choice, and probably happier.

Already for City, it’s starting to turn into a very good summer, vastly improved on last year, in which transfers on the whole were poor, with the best ones being players who will only be able to make a league-winning impression in a few seasons (other than Matija Nastasic). Basically we messed around too much with contracts and fees, and missed out on the key signings of the summers in Eden Hazard and Robin Van Persie. Whilst Hazard may not have had a huge impact in his first season in this league, Van Persie certainly did, guiding Manchester United to their 20th Premier League title last season.

In comparison, City’s transfers have been much better this season, conducting business early in order to get the players they want into the squad and settled ahead of the new season, contrasting to last year when all transfers where made in the late part of the window, allowing them time to settle. They have all been high-quality this summer, with Jesus Navas and Fernandinho being two that were brought in a few weeks ago, and now Negredo and Stevan Jovetic from Fiorentina being the most recent ones. They all look good signings for City in what is a much-improved summer ahead of a promising season.

You never know with transfers whether they will turn out to be successful or not, especially in a position in a squad that already holds a lot of quality. You always wonder whether they’ll prove their worth and play a lot, hopefully lifting some silverware with your team, and for me, Negredo is no different. I am slightly nervous about whether he’ll prove to be a success in the blue shirt, and whilst I am fairly confident, there is still that uncertainty that will linger for a few months, until we know how Pellegrini plans to play him in the City side looking to regain the title.

Manchester City’s Striking Targets

With Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli both having hit the exit door at Manchester City, a new striker or two is now high on the priority list for the Blues. Since Tevez departed earlier this week, many names have been linked with a move to the Etihad, but here I am determined to outline the top five strikers City have been linked with, and who they should make a move for.

Stevan Jovetic – the Fiorentina striker has caught the eyes of many of England’s biggest clubs since joining from Partizan Belgrade back in 2008, despite only have scored 35 league goals in over 100 games in the last five seasons. However, he has scored 10 goals in 27 appearances for Montenegro’s international side since making his debut six years ago, and could be the man to replace Tevez in the City front-line, although whether he should be purchased by the Blues is arguable, and many City fans are unsure on the 23-year-olds suitability.

Oscar Cardozo – this Paraguayan striker, of Benfica, has also caught the eye of many with his goal tally of 106 league goals in 160 league games for Benfica since 2007, and has been a key part of the side that’s won five trophies in his career with the Eagles. Despite his goals-to-game ratio, his age of 30 has put many City fans off the idea of signing Cardozo, and prefer to think of higher-quality, younger options as an alternative.

Fred – a target to be linked with the Blues in more recent times is Fred of Fluminese, currently with Brazil at the Confederations Cup. Even at the age of 29, he seems to be a popular option with the City faithful. Not only does his release clause in his contract of £2m limit the chances of the transfer being labelled a flop, but he has a very good goal record in recent times too. 64 goals in just 88 games in the past two seasons is an impressive total in any league, and could persuade the Citizens to take a chance on the former Lyon man.

Alvaro Negredo – having already purchased winger Jesus Navas from Sevilla this summer, City are supposedly after another of their attacking players, this time Alvaro Negredo, another Spanish international. Having scored 31 goals in 42 games in all competitions last season, he’s caught the eye of bigger clubs, and could well be on the move, and exactly the kind of player City need. The fans also think that at £18m, he could well turn out to be a bargain for the Blues.

Edinson Cavani – this is a name which has been linked with City every transfer window for a couple of years now. The striker has made a big name for himself in Naples with a goal record that is unrivalled by many, having scored 104 goals in 138 games in all competition since 2010, and this has led to interest from some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid. However, Chelsea and City look the be moving ahead of Real in the race to sign the Uruguayan international, despite his hefty price tag of over £50m, which would be a record signing for both clubs, and would easily be in the first-team for both too.

Other names, such as Robert Lewandowski, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Mario Gomez have also been linked with a move to Manchester this summer, and it looks very important to me, especially as a City fan, that at least one key signing is made this summer, to appease missed opportunities in Isco this summer, and Robin Van Persie and Eden Hazard last year. With a new manager, and two signings already in the bag for City this summer, it looks set to be a big season for the Blues, but it could all depend on what striker(s) are bought.

Carlos Tevez – Once A Blue, Always A Blue

With Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez having freshly completed his move to Italian champions Juventus for a fee believed to be around £12m, it is time to take a look back at his time here at the Etihad, and remember all that he accomplished for us since signing from United in 2009. There’s no denying he’s been a controversial figure in the last couple of years, with his six-month holiday back in Argentina during the middle of the season the pinnacle of this. But on the pitch, Tevez had a fantastic influence and goal record in the blue shirt.

I think when we signed Tevez from United four years ago, that was one of the biggest signs yet that things were changing football-wise in Manchester. The last player to move from Red to Blue was Terry Cooke, who had just helped City win promotion from the Second Division via the play-offs, and then made the leap across the divide in the summer. If you look at the difference between then and now, it just shows how much times have changed for City. Back in 1999, we could only dream of signing player’s of the quality that Tevez possesses, and in modern times, it is common for us to be linked with players of such a high standard.

In his first season with City, the 2009-10 season, Tevez was an integral part of the side that battled for Champions League qualification throughout the campaign. Despite the Blues narrowly missing out, and finishing fifth thanks to a loss at home to Tottenham close to the end of the season, the year was filled with memorable moments for the Argentine. Not only did he score 23 goals in 35 games for the club, but he also endeared himself to the City fans with his disputes with United staff and players. One such incident I remember was leading up to the Carling Cup semi-final at Eastlands, between City and United, United full-back Gary Neville said something offensive about Tevez, so when Tevez scored his first goal in the game, he ran over to Neville on the touch-line, and basically told him to shut up, which is something that caused City fans to fall in love with him.

Tevez’s hand gesture towards Neville

The next season was another important one for both Tevez and his team. Having won the hearts of his club’s fans the previous year, he was determined to do as much as he could to win City their place in the Champions League, and break their long run without any silverware. He started off with the honour of being named team captain for the season, replacing Ivorian defender Kolo Toure. He started the season in fantastic goal-scoring form, scoring six in just his first five games. He slowed down from there, and caused controversy in December, when he handed in a transfer request, citing family reasons and a breakdown in relationship with some people at the club. However, following talks, he withdrew his request, and outlined his commitment to the Citizens. He went on to score 20 league goals as he fired City into the Champions League, as well as captaining them in their FA Cup final victory over Stoke at Wembley.

Family reasons once again plagued the summer as Tevez was heavily linked with moves to Italy, Spain and back to South America in order to be closer to family. He stated on an Argentine chat show that he wouldn’t return to Manchester “even on vacation”, damaging his reputation with the City fans. However, he had said previously that should his family issues be resolved, he would stay at the Etihad. The season started on rocky ground for Tevez, however he did play the majority of their games. That is, until that fateful day in Munich, in the Champions League.

With Manchester City 2-0 down in their second Champions League group stage match, and needing an inspired substitution to try and get back in the game, Tevez would be the obvious choice. However, he is alleged to have refused to warm up and then get on the pitch as a substitute, which caused uproar in the football world. Roberto Mancini was understandably furious with his former captain, even going as far as to say the Argentine would never play for the club again. The falling-out between the pair fueled Tevez jetting off back to his homeland of Argentina between the months of October and February in a bid to get away from the club. This left the club in disarray as they bidded to win the league title for the first time since 1968.

In February, Tevez finally decided it was time to return to England, in order to help City’s flailing title challenge. Mancini had also said he would welcome back the striker for the same reason, showing how much City needed him back if Mancini was willing to forgive. His first match came in late March, as he was named a substitute for the game against Chelsea. He came on, and immediately outlined how good he is by setting up a later winner for Samir Nasri. His first goal back came four games later, at home to West Brom on his first start. City had slipped to eight points behind rivals United in the previous game, and the title race looked to be over. However, Tevez was able to contribute three more goals over the next five games as City astonishingly turned it around to win the league. No-one could doubt the positive influence Tevez had brought back to the squad, and I don’t think we would have won the title in the end without him back.

His final season with City, 2012-13, was a normal season for Tevez, almost mundane after the events of the past two. He cemented his place once again as City’s first choice striker for most games alongside compatriot Sergio Aguero, and racked up 11 league goals in 28 league games as City finished far behind United in the race for the title, whilst also remaining trophyless in other competitions too. With just one year left on his contract, and with him seemingly unwilling to sign a new one with the Blues, Tevez started being linked away from the club, with Italy seemingly the front-runners for his signature. AC Milan and Juventus, two giants in Serie A were the two names mentioned most as they raced to secure the signing, and on 26th June, Juventus confirmed Tevez was to join and wear the number 10 shirt for the Bianconeri.

One thing I purposefully left out when talking about Tevez’s individual seasons with City earlier is something that is a huge part of his game, and that never goes out of it either – his attitude on the pitch. No matter what you think of him off the pitch, you can’t deny how good his attitude is on it. He always puts 100% in, chasing every ball, never giving up, closing down, and other things like that which are now uncommon in a modern striker’s game. He’s like a little Trojan, and a fantastic asset to have in your team when he’s playing like that. We’ve seen glimpses of a similar attitude in Aguero in the last couple of years, but not to the intensity that Tevez does, which is a big thing we’ll miss after he’s moved to Turin.

Regardless of what he’s done for the club on the pitch, we have to look at how we might benefit out of this move. Not only do we get the transfer fee (the obvious benefit), but we will also benefit from removing his wages from the wage bill. He was on around £200k a week, which is a large amount even for a club like City, and I hear that this move will save us around £27m in bonuses and so on for the final year of his contract. Away from the monetary side of things, we have to look at how this will enhance our reputation. Having Carlos still at the club was continually damaging our reputation because of his controversial incidents. He has been involved with brushes with the law as well as the debacle in Munich, making him an unpopular figure to many in the world of football.

I think Tevez will turn out to be a very good signing for Juventus when the transfer is complete, and will fit into the team nicely alongside the other high-quality players Juventus already possess, such as Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo. They have won the Italian title for the past two years running, and will be bidding to win it again this year. Tevez has heavily proved himself in the English leagues, and now it’s time for him to make that step and try in another league as he reaches what should be the prime of his career.

This move has now left City with just two proven strikers in the squad – Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko. We also haven’t yet brought in a replacement for Mario Balotelli, who was sold in January, so we may also need to cover that. Having already supposedly missed out on our top two targets this summer, Edinson Cavani and Isco, we need to start thinking about other possibilities, and in fairness, there are a lot of those. We’ve been linked with moved for Stephan El Shaarawy, Mario Gomez, Stefan Jovetic and the like for weeks now, who would all be good for the City side. We definitely need to buy at least one, if not two strikers this summer, alongside the rest of the improvements the squad needs. I am completely in the dark as to who these players may or may not be. I’m simply going on transfer rumours like everyone else. But I know one thing for certain: this summer is going to be a busy one for City. Task 1: replace Carlos.

Wayne Rooney’s Next Destination

Despite Manchester United having a new manager and a regained Premier League title after a very successful 2012-13 season, all the talk around Old Trafford is revolving around the future of striker Wayne Rooney, who was confirmed to have handed in a formal transfer request to the Red Devils towards the end of last season, for the second time in his United career.

With Rooney being one of the best strikers in the world for a long time now, there has been a massive reaction to the news that Rooney is available for a transfer, with many of the biggest clubs in England and across Europe claiming an interest in the 27-year-old. Since signing from Everton back in 2004, Rooney has gone on to score 141 goals in 278 league games for United, becoming an essential part of their side over the past eight seasons.

Rooney first caught the attentions of England’s biggest clubs in the 2002-03 season, making 33 league appearances for the Toffees aged just 17. He only scored six goals that season, but still grasped the attentions of the big boys. After making 34 appearances the next season, one of those clubs finally decided to make a move, with Manchester United signing him for just under £26m.

Despite the effect Rooney has had at Old Trafford, he is disliked amongst many United fans, as this is the second time he has handed in a transfer request to leave the Reds, with his first coming in late 2010. His representatives stated that the reason Rooney wanted to leave the club was in search of ambition, and not higher wages, but after this statement was made, Rooney changed his intentions and signed a new contract with United, until the end of the 2014-15 season. He then managed to come back into the side and help win the club’s 19th Premier League title, but the damage was done.

Like I said before, many clubs are very interested in acquiring the services of the England star, but who are they? Would he want to join them? Here is an analysis of the clubs who have been heavily linked with a move for the striker, and how likely I think he is to join each team.

Firstly, there’s Paris Saint-Germain, big-spending French champions, who are bidding to become one of the biggest clubs in Europe over the next few years. Considered by many – including myself – as underdogs, they have beaten big clubs around Europe to some of the best players in the game, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who fired them to the title last summer, and are now looking to poach one of Europe’s hottest strikers from one of the biggest clubs in the world. Rooney could partner Swedish star Ibrahimovic for PSG, and become one of Les Parisiens key men within a couple of seasons, at one of the best projects in European football at the moment.

Another possible destination for Rooney is Arsenal, one of the clubs bidding to reclaim their status as challengers for the Premier League title, having failed to win a trophy since 2005. One of the things that the Gunners now lack is a reliable goalscorer, having lost Robin Van Persie to United last summer. Rooney is exactly the player who could fill this void, and with Arsenal reportedly ready to stump up the required funds to buy Rooney. However, Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain is also being strongly linked with the Gunners, along with Juventus and Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea. It remains to be seen which striker will end up at the Emirates this summer, but both are proven strikers, and joining the club would provide a good challenge for each of these players.

A surprise destination has also emerged as a possibility for Rooney in recent times – Manchester City, who were also linked with a move for him when he handed his first transfer request in back in 2010. The Blues have also been linked with Edinson Cavani this summer as they look to regain the Premier League title next season, but Rooney has once again emerged as a target for the Citizens, with some sources claiming they are set to make a bid in the coming days of around £26m. With both Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez expected to leave the Etihad this summer, Rooney could be an important part of City’s title challenge next year if he joins the club. The advantages of joining City are much more than three years ago, when Rooney was last linked with the club too. Not only are City still easily able to afford the player’s weekly wage, but are now also able to offer bigger chances of trophies, and the chance to play with some of the world’s best players, meaning joining the Blues is an enticing prospect.

However, with a new manager coming into United for the new season, David Moyes, Rooney could yet reverse his decision again, and decide to stay on with the Red Devils. When Moyes officially takes over from Sir Alex Ferguson at the start of July, the Scotsman is expected to hold talks with Rooney about his future with the club, and although would like to keep such a big talent, is understood to be willing to listen to offers for the Englishman.

Until speculation about Rooney’s future is resolved, the paper talk will continue to grow, as one of the most interesting stories this summer gets more complicated and more interesting. There’s no real telling at this point in time where Rooney will end up come the end of the transfer window, however with the amount of clubs interested, a high-profile move is very much on the cards. Alongside with the three clubs mentioned in this piece, Chelsea are also rumoured to be interested in signing him, as they look to sign a new, regular goalscorer under Jose Mourinho, and since they have been ruled out of the chase for Cavani, a move for Rooney could be very high on their list. Watch this space, as one of the hottest transfer battles of the summer begins to heat up.

Manchester City’s Possible Summer Transfers, 2013-14

Manchester City target Isco

With the transfer rumours already flying around the world this summer, and several deals already done before the window is officially open, the summer is already the hottest topic in football. Some of football’s biggest names are being linked with moves around Europe, including Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney. But as always in the transfer window, you always wonder “is this true? Is it paper talk?” There’s always the sense of excitement when the rumours say you’re close to signing a player who’d be great for your club, or the sense of dismay when one of your key men is linked with a move away. Throughout the transfer window you’ll see many emotions: joy, sadness, curiosity are just a few. You can never predict what’ll happen in the window, and that’s what makes it one of my favourite parts of the year.

After a disappointing campaign last season for Manchester City, many people are predicting the Blues to spend big to try and regain the Premier League title. Indeed, that’s what’s happened so far at the Etihad, with both Sevilla’s Jesus Navas and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Fernandinho joining the club so far for a combined fee of around £45m. They also have a new manager, Manuel Pellegrini, as they look to rebuild and progress more as a club. But the team definitely still needs some improvements to get to the best it can be. But who should those players be?

Creativity definitely needs to be added to the midfield after a lack of it at many points last season. Fernandinho and Navas both bring this to the club, but the midfield still looks incomplete, and could do with a couple more midfielders to finish it off and make the City midfield look formidable. A more consistent goalscorer is also important, as that is something City were without last season. Carlos Tevez started well, but faded out throughout the campaign, whilst Dzeko’s performances were inconsistent at best, and Sergio Aguero failed to live up to the highs of the 2011/12 season, meaning that if City want to win the league again they will need that goalscorer.

As well as transfers in, we need to have a think about who could be leaving the club too. There’s some obvious ones, like Aleksandar Kolarov who simply don’t have the quality to play for the club. Maicon and Scott Sinclair have both ultimately failed since signing from Inter Milan and Swansea City respectively last summer and should be offloaded to allow the wages to be spent elsewhere. Of course, Kolo Toure has already sealed his move away from the club, having agreed to join Liverpool when his contract with City expires. These players are players that City could easily survive without next season, and are easily replaceable.

However, Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez have also been linked with moves away from the club this summer, Dzeko with a move back to Germany (with Borussia Dortmund noted as favourites) and Carlos Tevez being linked with moves to both Italy (most notably AC Milan and Juventus) as well as his native Argentina. Dzeko has been largely inconsistent since joining from Wolfsburg in 2011, and has left some City fans calling for him to be sold, despite being the Blues’ top scorer last season. Tevez only has one year left on his current contract with City, and has previously expressed a desire to end his career back in South America, meaning City could sell in order to get some of the investment they paid for him back.

If those two strikers do leave, there obviously needs to be a replacement, as that would leave City with just one striker, Sergio Aguero. For me, there is only one replacement: Edinson Cavani. The Uruguayan striker, who plays for Napoli, has caught the eye of many of Europe’s biggest clubs since joining his current club in 2010. In all competitions, the 26-year-old has scored 104 goals in just 138 games for the Partenopei, which is a very good tally in any league across the world, and shows the quality that Cavani possesses. Last summer, Cavani was linked with a move to City, which never materialized, but this summer, speculation has intensified, with City once again linked, along with Chelsea, and Real Madrid. Chelsea have allegedly pulled out of the race now, leaving just City and Real, with City apparently the favourites. He would provide that consistent goal-scorer to the Blues’ side, and be a key part in their title challenge.

With Dzeko apparently set to join Borussia Dortmund this summer – with some sources in Germany already claiming he has agreed a deal – there could be a switch set to happen the other way, as part of the Dzeko deal, and that player is Marco Reus. The left winger rejoined the club last summer from Borussia Mönchengladbach, and has impressed for BVB  in this past season. With City having already signed Jesus Navas, a right winger, Reus could be exactly what City need on the other side, and with Dzeko supposedly having his heart set on a move away from the Etihad, this deal for Reus is looking more and more likely.

Next season, the centre-back pairing for City looks set to be Vincent Kompany, the captain, and Serbian youngster Matija Nastasic, who impressed after signing from Fiorentina last August. These two players are both well-liked by the City faithful, and I for one am confident in their ability to be big parts of our season in 2013-14, as we look to regain the title. But what happens if one of them gets injured? We’ll still have Joleon Lescott as backup, but he was pushed out of the side by Nastasic at the start of the season, and now many are unsure he has the quality to come into the City side and be part of a title-winning side. So, we need a new defender instead. In recent times we have been linked with Stefan Radu of Lazio, who we were also linked with a move for last summer, but never came to anything. He has made nearly 120 league appearances in the last five years for Lazio, as well as 14 for his national side Romania, and may well be good enough to come into the City squad and play an important part when required.

Also being heavily linked with a move to Manchester is Isco of Malaga. The attacking midfielder has been linked with a move away to some of Europe’s biggest clubs after impressing in both La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League this season. Despite reported interest from Real Madrid, City are thought of by many as clear favourites for Isco’s prized signature, and is exciting many Blues fans with his recent performances in the European Under-21 Championships. Rumours emerged on Saturday that Manchester City have reportedly agreed terms with the Spaniard, and he will join after the Championships have finished (the final is on Tuesday 18th June). Of all the players City have been linked with in recent weeks, Isco seems the most likely of all, and seems to be only a matter of time before he puts pen to paper.

Transfer windows are sometimes nearly the most important parts of a season – they can be the time that decides a title or decides who will be involved in the relegation dogfight. Last season, City didn’t take advantage of the window, failing to make any big deals, missing out on the key ones such as Robin Van Persie, and it showed throughout the season as they failed to win any trophies. This season, if City want to regain the title under Pellegrini, they will need to be more clinical in their transfers, and that has already started with the two captures this summer. There’s still over two months until the competitive season starts again, so City need to take advantage of the chances they have, and make the right signings to get back on top. This could be a very good year for City, but only if the transfers are right.