Pep Guardiola, a revolutionary character in modern football, is proving once again that the Premier League is not a league where you can come and win silverware right away.
Everyone expected Pep to storm his way into the Premier League and he himself is partly responsible for that. The bar was already set high from his days at Barca and Bayern and he has failed to live up to those gargantuan expectations so far.
However, Pep is someone with whom the Citizens can hope to turn things around. The tinkering Spanish manager clearly does not have the quality in the squad which he had at Camp Nou and Allianz Arena, which is why the next summer transfer window will be a vital one for the blue half of Manchester.
Also read: 5 things Pep Guardiola must do to ensure Manchester City are title contenders in 2017/18
There are a number of players who have failed to do justice to the City shirt this campaign and, therefore, will probably be shown the door in the near future.
Here are five such players who will probably be offloaded in the summer:
#1 Joe Hart
One of the best keepers in the Premier League era, Joe Hart was treated very harshly by Guardiola right after he was brought in by the Manchester City hierarchy. Guardiola is known to be an admirer of sweeper keepers and Hart, unfortunately, did not meet his requirements. The English international was then forced to join Serie A side Torino on loan and has done quite a good job for the Maroons this campaign.
Even though Claudio Bravo has disappointed with his performances between the sticks, Pep, as we all know, is a stubborn man when it comes to sticking to his principles. Hart, no matter how good he is as a keeper, has no future at the Etihad.
Bidding the 29-year-old goodbye would be really hard for the fans but that would be the best thing for the Manchester City legend’s career.
#2 Aleksandar Kolarov
Another player who was a key member of the Manchester City side for a long time is Aleksandar Kolarov. However, going by his performance this season, it seems like his time at the Etihad is coming to an end really soon. Guardiola has kept his faith in the Serbian powerhouse in games this season, but he has hardly done enough to impress the manager.
Now aged 31, Kolarov does not have much resale value. His contract will expire in the summer of 2018 and Pep will surely look to part ways with the Serb this summer and cash in on him while he can rather than lose him for nothing next season.
#3 Jesus Navas
It was quite a surprise to see Jesus Navas stay at Manchester City even after the appointment of Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard was nothing more than an impact sub under Manuel Pellegrini and his role has been severely limited this campaign as well. Now aged 31, Navas would definitely like some more playing time and leaving Manchester City is the only way he can get that.
The Spaniard is surplus to requirements at the Etihad with Sane, Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva and Nolito all available at Pep’s disposal. Young Patrick Roberts is also scheduled for a return to the club after his impressive loan spell with Celtic. So, all things added up, it looks like this will be the speedy winger’s final season at Manchester City.
#4 Samir Nasri
Just like for Joe Hart, the arrival of Pep Guardiola was not good news for Samir Nasri, another player who had been at the club for a long time. First, he was forced to train alone by Pep after he was labelled as overweight by the Catalan boss. He was then welcomed to the first-team after cutting off the extra weight but failed to impress and ended up on loan at La Liga side Sevilla.
The former Arsenal man seems to have a very limited future at the Etihad even though he is doing pretty well under Jorge Sampaoli at Sevilla. The 29-year-old is finally playing football on a regular basis this season after his troubled times at Manchester City, and the best thing for Nasri will be to put an end to his Etihad stint as soon as possible.
#5 Yaya Toure
One of the best players ever to have put on the Manchester City shirt, Toure’s time at the Etihad also seems to have come to an end. The Ivorian midfield general was forced out of the first-team picture until November after his feud with Guardiola but the 33-year-old inspired on his return to the first team. Even though he has not featured on a weekly basis, the Ivorian superstar has been quite impressive in front of goal.
However, Toure is now 33 and is not the player he used to be. Moreover, he will know that he won’t get any first-team football in the coming years if he stays at the club. Toure’s contract expires in the summer it is extremely unlikely that either party will want to extend the deal. It will be an emotional farewell for the fans but every story has to come to an end, after all.
