With the transfer window officially opening in the next couple of days, we rounded up a host of TMB contributors to provide their thoughts on who should and shouldn’t depart the Etihad this summer.
The writers are Adam Bailey, Sean Thomason, Josh Lawless, Joe Hulbert, Lloyd Scragg and Kieran Bell.
Willy Caballero:
Adam: Ultimately, it’s a case of whether he’s happy to continue warming the bench. Caballero was brought in to provide some competition for Joe Hart and Hart stepped up to the plate. There was never a battle between them but the presence of an experienced, very capable goalkeeper in the squad improved Joe’s game.
If he’s happy to stay, then keep him. If he’s not, let him go. The chances of him breaking into the starting eleven are very slim.
Sean: Keep, I think there is an ignorance amongst some City fans about the impact Caballero has had on the club. Similar to when Shay Given was at the club, Caballero has provided back up to Joe Hart and has helped him to raise his game. It’s rather telling that Joe Hart had his best form of his career after Caballero has arrived. There was a question of potentially replacing him with a home-grown goalkeeper, but surely it’s better to have him around to help keep Joe on his toes?
Josh: Keep. An easy answer this really as I don’t see any need to get rid. He’s an assured presence in the goal and is one of the best in terms of distribution. He will likely play second fiddle to Hart, who he has helped tremendously, but is certainly a reliable deputy to call upon.
Joe: There is basically no point selling Caballero at this point, he is a good back-up keeper and he is professional enough to not cause disruption in the dressing room. He has struggled when he has played but I believe he has struggled adapting to the high line of the City team and his positioning has been off, he will come good if there’s any chance he needs to play next season.
Lloyd: I certainly see the sense in allowing Caballero to leave, as the no.2 goalkeeping position provides you with the ideal opportunity to boost your HG quota. However, I’d argue Caballero is worth keeping hold of for another season at least. It’s no coincidence that Caballero’s consistent presence has coincided with Hart’s dramatic up-turn in form.
Kieran: Up against one of the world’s best goalkeepers in Joe Hart, Caballero does seem relatively surplus to requirements at the football club, and the likelihood of him breaking into the first team are extremely slim. However, if he were to leave, we would be left with just Richard Wright to fill the back-up goalkeeper position, and in all honesty, Wright isn’t exactly Manchester City quality. I believe we should keep Caballero in order to gain more strength in depth; and also allow more rotation between him and Hart, for example in the domestic cup games, or when Joe is feeling slightly fatigued. It just comes down to whether the Argentine would be happy playing second-fiddle to the England international.
Karim Rekik:
Adam: The rise of Jason Denayer plays a huge factor in this one. He’s now overtaken Rekik as City’s top defensive prospect and the feeling is that he’s just about ready to break into the first team. Rekik has always been there or thereabouts, but Denayer is a few levels above the Dutchman.
Rekik could still prove to be a decent player for City, he’s had spells in the Dutch national side and won the Eredivisie with PSV last season, but he’s still some way off the level we need at the centre of our defence. I’d cash in.
Sean: Sell. With the new academy now churning out top talents only the best will get a crack at the first team, and I personally don’t feel that Rekik is at the required standard. He’s a player who will have a good career, but I don’t think it’s going to be at the top level of the game. If we compare him to Denayer, who has been given chances for Belgium and has taken them with two hands, you can see the difference.
Josh: Sell. A few City fans have been calling for him to get a shot in the City first-team after a title-winning season with PSV in the Eredivisie. I acknowledge that he is a competent and talented defender, but I think his style doesn’t suit our way of playing and think he would be best off elsewhere. Denayer and also Adarabioyo in the EDS would be better for our system in my view.
Joe: For now I see no point in keeping Karim Rekik, he isn’t going to make it for the club and it’s that simple. Denayer is a better prospect and it makes more sense to keep hold of him. There’s no doubt he will make a good career for himself, but it’s not going to happen at City. Cashing in then adding either a buy-back clause or a selling on fee would make a great deal of sense at this point in time.
Lloyd: Sell. He’s a promising young defender, and one who made his first Premier League start for City at 17 – which is no mean feat in modern era. But he’s been leapfrogged by the impressive Jason Denayer, so a permanent move to Marseille looks likely.
Kieran: The Dutch central defender was tipped for good things at City as he broke through the youth system a few seasons ago, but with the emergence of Jason Denayer and Eliaquim Mangala, the youngster has seen his opportunities limited here. It is looking increasingly likely that Karim will be moving onto Marseille in the current transfer window, but I would have loved for him to stay on with us and carry on his impressive development in what is such a fantastic youth set-up at City. He should be kept for me, but the likelihood of this happening is low. An extremely promising young defender that I believe we will regret letting go.
Aleksandar Kolarov:
Adam: On his day, Kolarov is one of the best full-backs in the league. That ferocious left peg is unrivaled and he knows how to whip in a delicious ball. But when it’s not his day, he really can be a liability. He’s better going forward than defending – that’s always been the case with Kolarov – and as result he’s quite inconsistent.
He was terrific towards the end of last season and is popular among him team-mates. I still think we need to invest in a left full-back, but I’d definitely keep him.
Sean: Sell. When we gave Kolarov a new contract after winning the league, he was in the best form of his City career and has since regressed. He’s adept going forward, but his positional play since is suspect at best, and his concentration leaves a loy to be desired. To be slightly fair to him, he hasn’t been given a huge consistent run of games in the side, but with his wage now being taken into account, and the fact that we need an upgrade in that position means for me that he should be the one to leave. Clichy will stay as he’s home-grown, so Kolarov will likely leave to pave the way for a new signing.
Josh: I think Kolarov has earned the right to stay at City for another season after a strong ending to the campaign. He has his obvious flaws but I don’t think there are many better out there at providing the attacking outlet we need and he can nullify the most dangerous of wingers when he wants to. It’s worth keeping him, in my opinion.
Joe: Definitely keep him; he’s a brilliant left back. He offers a lot going forward and he’s not as bad a defender as people think he is. Kolarov is a great tactical option as he forces the opposition winger to track all the way back to the corner flag, selling him would make City’s attacking play suffer a lot.
Lloyd: In an ideal world, I’d sell. But his wages are far too high for many of the interested clubs, so he’ll probably stay, with the spending this summer seeming to be concentrated on other areas of the squad.
Kieran: Definitely keep. The Serbian has cemented himself as first-choice left-back ahead of a vulnerable Gael Clichy last season, and is an excellent servant to the club. His defensive qualities have been criticised, but there is no denying that he helps City hugely on the attack; launching dangerous low crosses into the box and capable of a 30-yard pile-driver from range. We’d be silly to let him go, when he is, at present, our best left-back.
Fernando:
Adam: It’s difficult to be so negative about a City player, but Fernando deserved the criticism he got last season. Since Nigel De Jong left in 2012 the club have failed to bring in an upgrade. Fernandinho is a different type of player so I don’t think a comparison between them is necessary, but Javi Garcia and Fernando haven’t improved the side in any way.
Fernando is clumsy on the ball and spends a considerable amount of his time on the floor. His better games came alongside Fernandinho and Toure where he defended in a couplet, but in a central midfield of just two players we really couldn’t rely on him to break up the play.
I wouldn’t blame Fernando; I’d blame the club for targeting the wrong player. Get rid and bring in someone like Vidal (if possible).
Sean: Keep. I’m not the biggest fan of Fernando, as he’s far too limited on the ball, often playing it safe rather than trying to make things happen. The reason I’d keep him is down to the fact he’s our only pure defensive midfielder in the squad, and unless we can upgrade, which would seem unlikely this summer as our plans seem to lie elsewhere on players such as Pogba, Sterling and De Bruyne, then it’s worth keeping him for one more year. His level of performances will have to improve significantly though.
Josh: A difficult one. He was indeed very substandard last season, having promised to become the answer to City’s problems and become the defensive midfielder we so desperately craved. He isn’t skilled enough on the ball and was regularly caught out but I think a lot of that is down to the system. I look at the game away at Roma and still see something there. I’m prepared to give him another chance.
Joe: Fernando is an excellent midfield destroyer, and we need to start using him as that. He isn’t a player who suits a 2 man central midfield partnership, he isn’t good enough on the ball in high tempo situations and he suffers due to Toure’s invisible work rate. If Fernando is played as a holding midfielder, we will notice how good he is, he could even get up to the level of people such as Schneiderlin and Matic. Keep him without a doubt.
Lloyd: Again, I’d sell. I fully recognise that foreign imports often need time to adjust to the English game, but he really was woeful last season, and I’m not sure he’ll improve a great deal to be honest. If I had my own way, I’d move him on and sign a replacement (Yohan Cabaye potentially), but it just won’t happen.
Kieran: The Brazilian has been somewhat of an anti-climax since his arrival at City from Porto last season. He was praised in Portugal for his excellent defensive work and hard-hitting challenges, and we as City fans were keen to witness the next Nigel De Jong. But he has ultimately failed to bring any of that to the Etihad and has divided opinion amongst the fans. I’m taking the side that suggests that he should be let go, although this does seem unlikely. He just isn’t good enough.
Samir Nasri:
Adam: Has blown hot and cold since moving to City and has generally been quite important to our success in the last five years. He’s a scorer of great and important goals – think Sunderland in the Capital One Cup, the last day of the 2013/2014 season against West Ham and of course, that beauty against Roma at the Olimpico – and can link up brilliantly with Silva and Toure.
I like Nasri but he’s still not consistent enough for me. His attitude began to reek towards the end of last term following an internal affair that Pellegrini wasn’t very happy with. He’s got a history of throwing his toys out of the pram and if Sterling arrives, he might be the guy to make way. I’d keep him unless a bid of £20m+ comes in for him.
Sean: Sell. It’s a tough one with Nasri, as after Yaya, he’s arguably our best playing at recycling possession. He’s been a good servant for City, scoring some huge goals, with the ones against Roma and Sunderland being prime examples. The problem with him though is his attitude, he often talks a good game to the press, but rarely performs one when it really matters. If we managed to sign De Bruyne this summer then I firmly believe Samir will go, and this year could be a good time to cash in with his stock being high.
Josh: Nasri is one of the most technically able players I think I’ve ever seen at City and when on song, he is incredible to watch. He rarely gives away the ball and has contributed massively to our recent successes. But there is always a hint of carelessness in his game and that is a major downside. If we could land De Bruyne, I would be content with him leaving.
Joe: I don’t understand why anyone would want to sell Nasri, he’s a brilliant player and he has proven it year after year despite being one of the most heavily criticised players at the club. Nasri offers so much creativity and he does actually work hard in the final third of the pitch. He’s twice the player of James Milner, and it wouldn’t make sense to let both leave the club.
Lloyd: I don’t know where I stand with regards to Nasri. He’s scored some ‘heavy’ goals in a City shirt, and talks very honestly in the media, which is refreshing. But on the flip side, he has the propensity to go missing when it matters – Barcelona away being the prime example, and he’s had problems recently with his off-field discipline. If we can get a good price, I’d definitely move him on, but equally, if he’s happy to accept more of a squad role, I wouldn’t be too disgruntled if he stayed either!
Kieran: Samir has been at the centre of a possible move away from Eastlands for quite some time now after a relatively poor season, and with the departure of James Milner, many have called for the Frenchman’s head, too. But despite his negative tendencies, Nasri, on his day, is a wonderful footballer, and he has shown glimpses of his former Arsenal-self on a number of occasions throughout his stay here. He possesses great balance, pace and technical ability and is a great addition to the squad alongside David Silva. And can he do it on a cold, wet night in Stoke? You bet he can. Keep.
Stevan Jovetic:
Adam: Not his fault, but his injuries make him a complete and utter waste of time and money. Sell as fast as you can.
Sean: Jovetic was signed as a young player with the potential to develop into something very special. Having watched him for Fiorentina, I feel he’s not strong enough physically or mentally for the Premier League. The pace of the game is far too quick for him, and considering we are a side who rely on keeping the ball, his distribution and link up play isn’t good enough. With Inter Milan being heavily linked it really wouldn’t surprise me if we let the Montenegro striker go.
Josh: Sell. After two great performances early in the season against Newcastle and then Liverpool where he bagged a double, I thought Jovetic could really kick on and become a useful weapon for us in attack. But while he is a nice, busy player, he often tries too hard and isn’t productive. I deem him to surplus to requirements.
Joe: Sell him, he’s just not good enough anymore. People can point to his injury record, but even in his cameos he doesn’t show enough, he hasn’t grasped the opportunities that Pellegrini has handed to him. His chances may be minimal, but he could still have shown more than he has done thus far. His performance against Everton at Goodison Park remains one of the worst City performances of the season.
Lloyd: Sell, unfortunately. Jovetic’s time at City has ultimately been characterised by unfulfillment, he’s evidently a very gifted player, but for a number of reasons it just hasn’t worked out. I wish him all the best.
Kieran: Along with Fernando, Jovetic has failed to live up to his billing as one of the hottest young prospects in world football since his move from Fiorentina in 2013. Constantly hampered by injuries, the Montenegrin has only shown glimpses of his promise, most notably his double against Liverpool at the start of last season. He has been frozen out by Pellegrini and is now 4th-choice striker, and he seems like his career needs to be kick-started. He has been heavily linked with a move back to Italy, and I think this is the best option for him. He has excellent potential, but his career just doesn’t lie at Manchester City. Sell.
Edin Dzeko:
Adam: City’s unsung hero. Like Nasri, a scorer of important goals and a man blessed with some mesmerizing natural ability that unfortunately doesn’t reveal itself enough. Dzeko is the king of inconsistency, but he was always able to notch up a decent goal tally at the end of the season.
The problem is that last season he offered very little and began to struggle with injury. He appeared disinterested in a handful of games and has made it clear that he is not prepared to play second fiddle to Aguero and Bony. I don’t see Dzeko ever displacing Aguero as our main striker, but selfishly, I’d like to keep him as a glamorous third choice forward.
Sean: Sell. Dzeko has been a great player for City, and played a huge part in our recent success with the goals against Everton, Villa, Notts County and famously QPR.
With the arrival of Wilfried Bony, I now feel we have upgraded his position, and similarly to Nasri, it could be time to sell him if his stock is high.
Dzeko is however, a guaranteed goalscorer, but the issue for me is his body language. You can clearly tell within sixty seconds of a game starting if he’s up for it or not, and if he isn’t, his work rate leaves a huge amount to be desired.
Josh: I would get rid. Like most Blues I’m appreciative of the great times he has brought us, contributing enormously in the two league titles and of course bagging some memorable goals in the derby. When Bony came in, I thought it would spur Edin on and initially it seemed to raise his game – He scored against both Newcastle and Liverpool but he faded out and it’s time to go, for me. Bony takes a more active role and we have Kelechi in the ranks too. Sell him, but not to a Premier League team!
Joe: Keep him. He’s not ‘that’ good, but it wouldn’t make much sense to let two strikers go and right now Jovetic offers a lot less than the Bosnian. Dzeko struggled last year, but so did many other players and it would be unfair to pick him out for poor performance whilst letting the likes of Kompany, Toure and Zabaleta get off lightly.
Lloyd: All good things come to an end, and I feel this is particularly apt when it comes to Edin Dzeko. I’m a huge fan of his, don’t get me wrong. He specialises in scoring crucial goals, there are simply too many to list, but I think the time has come for him to seek pastures new.
Kieran: Yet another striker linked with a move away, Edin has seen his quality fade throughout the whole of last season and has been outcast by the arrival of Wilfried Bony. While I recognise what Edin has done for the club (his goals have been of paramount importance), I think it’s time for the big Bosnian to move on and reinvigorate his lethal goal-scoring record at another club. We’ve got the best out of Edin, and he has scored some quite truly wonderful goals for us which have essentially won us titles. We wish him well, but I think the time has come. Sell.
Jason Denayer:
Adam: Possesses wisdom and composure beyond his years. How good does it feel to know your club has one of Europe’s most exciting young defenders on its hands? It feels fantastic, and City must embrace it by throwing him into the starting eleven as soon as they can. We’ve been waiting for a prospect and we’ve finally got one capable of improving our squad. Take a chance, Manuel!
Sean: Keep. He’s a hugely talented youngster who is already a permanent starter for his national side, which is a clear show of his ability. He’s had rave reviews from his time in Scotland, and his international manager also seems to rate him highly. I firmly expect him to be the third choice centre-back, with Demichelis moving down to a more squad role.
Josh: He has to be in the squad next season, and play some part or else he will join the list of players we haven’t used adequately. His rise has been meteoric and though you could argue the Scottish League isn’t great, he still looked at home against top European sides such as Inter and was immense in Belgium’s last two games. Give him a go.
Joe: Jason should be our 4th centre-back for two reasons, 1. He is home-grown and will offer us a player for the future, but also he will save us a fortune this summer. City currently have three centre backs on the books and one more is needed, with 35 million being quoted for Otamendi and 30 for Sergio Ramos keeping Denayer in the squad makes much more sense.
Lloyd: Keep, and promote to 3rd CB. Denayer’s had an unbelievable 12 months, which has culminated with him starting against both France and Wales for his country. Admittedly, this opportunity came-about because of the absence of Vincent Kompany, however, when you consider the other options Belgium have at centre half, and note that both Alderweireld and Vertonghen were moved to full back to accommodate the youngster, it really is an impressive achievement. If he doesn’t sign a new contract, I’ll be livid.
Kieran: I think I speak for the majority of City fans when I say that I believe Denayer should be given a shot in the first-team next season. I admit that one season in Scotland doesn’t express his true qualities, but he showed enticing promise north of the border last campaign and has subsequently been called up to the Belgian national team and earned praise all around the footballing world. A very exciting young player, Denayer should be kept and given a go in the team. We have a great player on our hands here.
Marcos Lopes:
Adam: Another fantastic prospect, but one I don’t feel is ready to step up into the first team just yet. With Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Samir Nasri and possibly Raheem Sterling set to line up in City’s midfield next season, Lopes doesn’t really stand a chance at the moment. He appears to be enjoying life in France and is guaranteed a lot of football at Lille and that’s where he should stay next term.
Sean: Keep. Again after the season he had in Lille, he will surely be a member of the squad. Young, pacey and direct, he will add a new dimension to the squad. I can see him being the replacement to Milner, and hopefully he’ll be given plenty of chances to showcase his talent.
Josh: Rony is one of the most likeable young players around and I would love nothing more to see him make the grade at City. He is so talented and has the attitude to go with it. He earned great praise in France and looked very good at the FIFA U20 World Cup, where he made the tournament’s best XI. I’ve loved watching Portugal’s Bernardo Silva in the U21 Euros and believe in Lopes; we have a player who can follow suit. Keep and weave him into the first-team picture.
Joe: Lopes should be part of our first team squad, his spell at Lille was interrupted by injuries but he is clearly a talented player and made some impressive appearances for the French club. His cameos in the Portugal youth teams over the summer should show Pellegrini that he is good enough for the team.
Lloyd: I’m a huge fan of Lopes, and thus have followed his progress very closely, watching as many of Lille’s games as possible. He developed well in Northern France, assuming a great deal of responsibility as he quickly became one of the team’s most important players, playing at the tip of a midfield diamond in the number 10 position. However, not everything went to plan during his short stay – he was dogged by successive muscle injuries in the winter, and his form tailed-off a little in the late spring. On balance though, I do think he’s ready for City’s first team, and could contribute a lot, but only if we’re willing to give him the game-time he needs. Unless we can promise Lopes 15-20 games this next season, he should seek to spend another year on loan.
Kieran:The Portuguese youngster is yet another exciting player to come out of City’s youth system, and spent last season on loan at French side Lille. He has been linked with another loan move away next year, and I have mixed feelings about this. He’s not good enough to make the first-team, but I believe we should reject any loan bids and play him in a handful of games next season in order for him to flourish and really show his genuine qualities that have made him one of the most exciting young City players of recent time. I’m not against a loan move; it will benefit him superbly in terms of his development and first-team experience; but I believe we should keep hold of him ourselves and take advantage of an extremely gifted young footballer.
So there you have it, lots of opinions on whether certain players are worth keeping, or whether it would be best getting rid. Do let us know your thoughts on each player’s situation, by commenting, or tweeting us @TheMaineBlues.
