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Manchester City are one of only three teams to have won five Premier League titles.
The reigning English champions have assembled a squad brimming with quality across positions over the years. Under Pep Guardiola, Cityzens have been the team to beat in the domestic scene. They are on course to win their fourth league title in five years, leading second-placed Liverpool by nine points.
Guardiola's men have also created a splash in Europe. They reached their first Champions League final last season but lost to Chelsea. They are one of the contenders in this year's competition too. City lost early in the Carabao Cup to West Ham United this season, but are in contention for the FA Cup.
Manchester City's recent success in England and Europe has been built around a core group of excellent players. On that note, here's a look at the five most valuable City players at the moment:
#5 Ruben Dias - €75 million
Ruben Dias is one of the best young defenders in the game at the moment. He has made a sparkling start to life in the English top flight.
In his debut campaign in the competition last season, the Manchester City man won the Premier League Player of the Season award. In the process, the €68 million signing from Benfica helped his new club win their third league title in four years.
In almost 80 appearances across competitions, the 24-year-old has also bagged three goals and as many assists, proving his utility at both ends.
#4 Jack Grealish - €80 million
Manchester City splurged €117.5 million last summer to make Jack Grealish the most expensive English player in history.
However, the 26-year-old winger has had a rather lukewarm debut campaign with the five-time Premier League winners. In 23 games across competitions, he has bagged three goals and as many assists. However, Grealish is yet to light up the Etihad and justify his enormous price tag.
The Englishman has not been helped by the fact that he has been played out of position by Guardiola a few times. Nevertheless, Grealish needs to replicate his Aston Villa exploits at the Etihad to fully endear himself to the City faithful. He scored seven goals and made 12 assists in his last campaign at Villa Park.
With City alive in three competitions, Grealish has the opportunity to end his first season at the club on a high.
#3 Raheem Sterling - €85 million
Raheem Sterling has had a fabulous stint with Manchester City since arriving at the club in the summer of 2015 from Liverpool.
In over 300 games across competitions, the winger has scored 123 times, including nine this season for Cityzens. Earlier this campaign, the 27-year-old joined Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in the Premier League's 100-goal club.
Sterling's versatility allows him to be deployed across a plethora of positions across the attacking third. He reportedly slipped down the pecking order at the club recently, but seems to be back in the good books of manager Pep Guardiola.
The five-time Premier League winners are hopeful of agreeing a new deal with Sterling, whose current contract expires in 2023.
#2 Phil Foden - €85 million
Phil Foden is one of the most exciting young wingers in the game at the moment. Still only 21, he has already racked up nearly 150 senior appearances across competitions for City, scoring 38 times.
Continuing from his 16-goal 2020-21 campaign, Foden is up to seven strikes this season. Foden became one of the youngest players to score in three consecutive league games against Liverpool when he scored in a 2-2 draw this season.
Under the able tutelage of Guardiola, Foden has blossomed into a world-class player. The Englishman will look to produce a strong end to the season as Manchester City eye silverware in multiple competitions.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne - €90 million
Kevin De Bruyne is the crown jewel in Manchester City's star-studded team. The Belgian is a playmaker par excellence and is the engine room of City's midfield.
Since arriving at the Etihad in the summer of 2015 from Wolfsburg, De Bruyne has made nearly 300 appearances across competitions. In that time, he has bagged 74 goals and over 100 assists.
The 30-year-old has had a rather quiet start to his 2021-22 campaign, scoring seven goals and assisting four times.
De Bruyne enjoyed his most prolific campaign in the Premier League in 2019-20, bagging 13 goals and 21 assists. However, Manchester City were beaten to the league title by a rampant Liverpool side. In the Cityzens' three other Premier League-winning campaigns, De Bruyne has contributed 16 goals and 32 assists.
