Manchester City’s summer transfer business has kicked into gear in recent weeks.
The £116million capture of Elliot Anderson saw the Blues secure their top target early in the transfer window and City have since added goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday and highly-rated winger Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. Mathys Detourbet has also joined from Troyes and subsequently left for Monaco on loan.
While Detourbet, and to some extent Monga, are buys for the future, Charles will fill a crucial goalkeeping role given the uncertainty surrounding James Trafford’s future and the desire for City to ensure they hit homegrown squad quotas in the Premier League and Champions League. Monga, tipped for top, was snatched from under Arsenal’s noses and is viewed as a first-team prospect by the Blues.
So far so good for City, who would still like to add a right back and another winger but in Anderson have achieved their statement signing already.
The Blues face a pivotal summer with Enzo Maresca now in charge after a decade of Pep Guardiola and have made a good start to the window, particularly considering there is a World Cup ongoing.
And a quick glance around the rest of the Premier League shows how calm City’s summer has been compared to the choppy waters elsewhere.
Manchester United wanted Anderson and Mateus Fernandes and missed out on both, while an agreed move for midfielder Ederson could yet fall through. The Reds are set to sign Andre Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively but have moved for both after missing out on top targets.
Villa didn’t want to lose Tielemans but have gazumped Newcastle to the signing of highly-rated Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi to leave serious questions on Tyneside given the departure of Sandro Tonali for Tottenham and the historical issues of missing out on top targets at the last minute and seeing key players leave. Bruno Guimaraes could also depart St James’ Park with Arsenal keen, but the Gunners have not yet struck a deal.
Mikel Arteta’s men are also eyeing Julian Alvarez but Atletico Madrid are unwilling sellers and Barcelona are also interested, while the Argentine is still at the World Cup, and so far Arsenal are having to wait on their top targets.
Liverpool have spent big on Víctor Muñoz and Jérémy Jacquet as their rebuild under Andoni Iraola begins, while Spurs have also hit the ground running with a slew of spending. The picture is more complicated at Chelsea, with the Blues once again experiencing a fraught summer with big money deals expected but several departures necessary as they try to balance the books for new boss Xabi Alonso.
It all adds up to a chaotic summer as Premier League clubs scramble for the best talent. City still have work to do, and the window is open for another 50 days so there will be no great panic elsewhere, but the early signs show just how calm, considered and calculated City are in the window, particularly considering the change in management this summer.
It doesn’t guarantee success, and there will be more twists and turns to come, but the Blues are well placed to transition from one era to the next.





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