Looking forward what could Manchester City’s rebuild under Guardiola look like? | OneFootball

Manchester City entered the current international break off the back of four consecutive defeats in all competitions. It is unchartered territory for Pep Guardiola and his team. But it is only November so there is plenty of time for Manchester City to break out of their slump and fight for multiple honours during the 24/25 season. That is the reality of the situation. But come the end of the season it does appear that Manchester City’s rebuild will begin. So how could that potentially look after Sam Lee’s report for the Athletic that Pep Guardiola has agreed on a contract extension with Manchester City? That is an exciting proposition to ponder.

As mentioned above, this season isn’t a write-off for Manchester City. It’s far from it. It is only November, and Pep Guardiola’s team typically doesn’t click into gear until the New Year. History may be repeating on the front. Time will reveal the answer to that. But it does appear that this may be the final run for this particular group of Manchester City players. That’s where it becomes exciting from next summer. The world champions can begin their rebuild under Guardiola and that’s where the excitement begins.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola agrees on a contract extension with Manchester City which is huge for the world champions.

Looking at how Manchester City’s rebuild under Guardiola could begin it appears that City’s midfield needs fresh legs. The loss of Rodri for this season with a knee injury has further highlighted this issue. I do feel that the champions could kick-start that process in January. An energetic midfielder would be the perfect addition to City’s ageing midfield in January. That should be a major priority in a few months. If Manchester City could land a midfielder like Ederson from Atalanta, for example, that would kick-start that process. Ederson or even a player like Martin Zubimendi could fill the void left by Rodri’s absence this season. They could then play alongside Rodri when he returns from injury.

What are the most pressing areas of Pep Guardiola’s squad that need some tweaks?

If that issue is solved in January it would appear that next summer would be when Manchester City’s midfield rebuild would properly begin. It is clear to me that players such as Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan are getting close to the end of their storied Manchester City careers. They will need to be replaced either next summer or after that. With Guardiola confirmed as Manchester City manager the world champions can find him the players he can utilise to fill those roles. That is no easy task in itself, but it’s a lot easier to plan for with Guardiola confirmed as manager. Hugo Viana will be tasked with finding Guardiola the players he needs which is an exciting prospect based on his track record with Sporting CP.

I do feel that right-back and potentially Manchester City’s defence will also be looked at next summer. Kyle Walker is nearing the end of his trophy-laden spell with the club. That’s just the facts of the situation. I do think City will look to add another right-back next summer. There’s also the constant injury issues faced by Nathan Ake and John Stones that are a problem for Manchester City. Those are two other areas I think City will target.

There is one more that could potentially be addressed in January or next summer at the latest. Manchester City need another striker to provide cover for Erling Haaland. Finding that player is no easy task. But it must be done to give Pep Guardiola’s squad a more rounded look. It would also help Erling Haaland stay fit and firing for longer in my opinion.

Summary

Manchester City’s rebuild can begin next summer under Pep Guardiola. That is the massive news from Sam Lee’s report that emerged late last night. For me, there are multiple areas of City’s squad that need retooling at the end of this season. But with Guardiola confirmed to be City’s manager for the foreseeable future they can now plan accordingly. That is an exciting proposition in itself, even as Pep Guardiola and his team chase even more history this season.