Which of these Manchester City stars are most under threat by Pep Guardiola’s arrival?

Add as preferred source on Google

With Pep Guardiola set to take the reigns from Manuel Pellergini in the summer, many have suggested that his first actions as coach will be an overhaul of the current squad. Age, quality, and a general inability to fit into his system seem to be the decider on whether or not a player will stay in Manchester this summer. There are a few positions that need immediate addressing and others that need a serious upgrade in order to compete at the level in which Guardiola will expect them to.

Embed from Getty Images

Out: Yaya Touré

Whether you love him or hate him, Yaya Touré’s departure from the club will signal the end of an era. Though he hasn’t been as spectacular in the past two seasons, Yaya was a big part of what elevated the relatively unknown club into super-stardom. His mercurial ability on the ball combined with his freakish athleticism and build is what tossed the Ivorian’s name amongst some of the greatest midfielders in the world. Alas, time has taken it’s toll and his work rate has plummeted. City fans only occasionally see glimpses of his full potential, and between his more recent form, former relationship with Pep, and age, it’s time to say goodbye to Touré. There will most likely never be another player quite like Yaya Touré, and The Etihad supporters will miss the big man.

In: Ilkay Gündogan / Thiago Alcantara

Though it’s impossible to replace the four time African Player of the year, the midfield is in need of someone who can control possession via a wide range of passing. At Bayern Munich, Guardiola brought in Xabi Alonso from Reál Madrid in order to help control the possession and tempo, but since the Spaniard will be approaching 36, I doubt he’ll try to bring him over to the more fast paced premier league. So with that in mind, two options present themselves in Ilkay Gündogan and Thiago Alcantara.

Gündogan is the more likely out of the two because he’s openly talked about a move away from the Westfalenstadion and although Thiago is a wonderful player that Guardiola is incredibly fond of, I highly doubt the Bavarian giants are willing the let their former coach take his pick of key players. With an average pass length of 17.89 meters and a completion rate of 88%, Gündogan has the passing range to accurately spread the play around the pitch. Gündogan likes to sit deep and distribute, but is capable of charging up the field as well. Like Thiago, he did a lot more of the latter before a year long injury forced him to alter his play style. Overall, I would say Gündogan is a safer defensive option with 38 interceptions already made this season. Thiago is a much more attack minded midfielder with a knack for positive offensive distribution. He’s reshaped his game a bit after suffering two consecutive knee injuries that put him on the sidelines for just over a year, and with 21 chances created in just 15 games, it appears to have worked. In the past, his game was much more like his brother; Rafinha, taking on players through dribbling and opting for short passing plays. Since the injuries, his long range of passing has improved and he’s a smarter with the ball in possession.

Embed from Getty Images

They both have the ability to sit deep and control the play, as well as shape an offensive passing play in the middle of the park. Guardiola’s theme of holding the majority of the possession has been a mainstay of his style since his days at Barcelona, so either player is a great option, but I feel as though Bayern will try their hardest to keep hold of such a special player.