5 most expensive signings made by Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has spent more than £1 billion on new signings during his managerial career so far.

There's no doubt that Guardiola is one of the greatest managers of the 21st century. His success at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City, as well as his playing style and development of players, has seen him both reach and remain at the very top of his position.

Pep Guardiola has spent an incredible amount of money on new signings

Despite Guardiola having won over 29 trophies to his name and a 74.25 win percentage during his 13-year managerial spell, he somehow still splits opinion.

Much of that is because Guardiola spends huge amounts of money on new signings. He has certainly never been afraid to splash the cash in his pursuit to improve his team. Most of these expensive signings have worked out for him, while a few of them haven't.

On that note, here's a look at the five most expensive signings that have been made by Pep Guardiola.

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#5 Aymeric Laporte - £58.5 million

Aymeric Laporte's signing played a key role in Manchester City's Premier League success.

The only January signing on this list, Aymeric Laporte arrived at Manchester City at the start of 2018.

City were romping to the title that season, and were en route to the English top flight's first-ever 100-point season. But Guardiola wasn't fully convinced by his central defensive options, with Vincent Kompany no longer a regular.

As such, Guardiola decided to sign Laporte by paying his release clause to his club and handing the defender his debut against West Bromwich Albion the next day.

Laporte immediately became an integral part of City's defence, and emerged as one of the Premier League's very best defenders over the next 18 months. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2018-19 as Guardiola's team won back-to-back Premier League titles.

So far the centre-back has managed to win three Premier League titles, four League Cups and one FA Cup during his time at the Etihad.

The left-footer still remains an essential part of Manchester City's squad, but injuries have held him back over the last 18 months.

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#4 Riyad Mahrez - £61.02 million

Riyad Mahrez has been an incredible signing for Pep Guardiola.

After playing a key role in Leicester City's fairy-tale Premier League success in 2016, Riyad Mahrez was one of the hottest commodities in Europe.

But he didn't make a big-money move away from the King Power Stadium until the summer of 2018, when Guardiola, after seeing his team claim 100 points and score more than 100 goals, elected to add Mahrej to his attack.

City broke their transfer record to bring Mahrej in, paying £61.02 million to make Mahrez the most expensive African player in football history.

The electric Algerian winger has scored 40 goals and provided 38 assists in 146 appearances for Manchester City. He has produced several fine game-winning moments, including three of his team's four strikes in the Champions League semi-final win over PSG last season.

Mahrez has made the right-wing position his own, of late, and is likely to remain a key player in that position for Pep Guardiola and City in the coming years.

#3 Ruben Dias - £61.2 million

Ruben Dias has been a revelation since signing for Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola's former most expensive signing at Manchester City, Ruben Dias, has transformed the Etihad outfit since arriving at the club last summer.

The 24-year-old's leadership and assured performances at the back saw him pick up the Football Writer's Association Footballer of the Year award for his monumental impact at the club. He also clinched the UEFA Player of the Year award for his incredible performances in Manchester City's run to the Champions League final last season.

Dias played a key role in Manchester City's Premier League win last season, and made himself undroppable once Guardiola started him in City's backline. He also played a part in revitalising John Stones' career, forming a formidable centre-back partnership with the Englishman, which saw Guardiola's team concede just 32 goals in the Premier League.

Fans at the Etihad will unquestionably be delighted with how Dias' signing has turned out, and will hope he remains an integral part of the City backline. Dias recently signed a new six-year contract which will keep him at City till 2027.

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#2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - £62.55 million

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the worst signings made by Pep Guardiola.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the only signing on this list that Pep Guardiola did not make at Manchester City. Ibrahimovic is also one of the worst signings made by the Spaniard during his managerial career.

Having won the treble in his debut season as Barcelona manager, Guardiola looked at how to improve his side and decided to make Ibrahimovic the focal point of his side's attack. He brought the Swedish international from Inter, and decided to send his No. 9 Samuel Eto'o the other way in a player-plus-cash deal.

Ibrahimovic hit the ground running and scored regularly, including the winner in the 2009-10 season's first El Clasico. But Ibrahimovic's fate at Camp Nou was decided before he arrived, with Lionel Messi's move into the 'False Nine' position the previous season making it difficult for both of them to play alongside each other.

Gradually, Ibrahimovic looked more and more like an outsider at Barcelona and was being used more as a substitute than a regular starter.

Ibrahimovic did win four trophies and score 21 goals in 45 games during his only season at Barcelona, before he was dumped out on loan the next season. The Swede has since also played for Guardiola's eternal rival Jose Mourinho, and has made his preference between the two very clear, saying:

"If Mourinho lights up a room, Guardiola draws the curtains".

Zlatan Ibrahimovich was one of Guardiola's biggest ever signings, but despite the trophies and the goals the Swede brought, this move could no way be chalked down as a success.

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#1 Jack Grealish - £105.75 million

Jack Grealish recently became Pep Guardiola's most expensive signing.

Recently becoming the most expensive English player of all time, Jack Grealish usurped Zlatan Ibrahimovic to become Pep Guardiola's most expensive signing in the manager's career.

Following his departure, it was revealed that thanks to a clause in his deal at Aston Villa, if a Champions League club were willing to pay £100 million and Grealish wanted to leave, Villa wouldn't stand in his way. As such, City took advantage of the situation, and completed the signing of Jack Grealish.

Both Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne stood out in the Premier League creativity charts last season, something that would strike fear among other Premier League teams.

The England winger has now joined Pep Guardiola's star-studded squad as the Premier League champions look to reassert their dominance this season.

Having already impressed for his boyhood club, Grealish now has the opportunity to shine at a bigger club and under Guardiola, potentially become one of the best players in his position.