Manchester City accomplished their goals during the first summer transfer window | OneFootball

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak stated that his club aimed to bring new signings ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup. Speaking with Chris Bailey in his annual end-of-season interview on mancity.com, Al-Mubarak said that Manchester City had identified their transfer targets and were aiming to be swift and decisive in the transfer market.

That’s exactly how the shortened transfer window for the Club World Cup played out. Manchester City signed Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea, Rayan Cherki from Lyon and Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan. The City hierarchy has completed the first part of the work that lies ahead of them this summer.

Manchester City wasted no time in landing their top transfer targets.

Time was of the essence during the brief transfer window ahead of the Club World Cup. Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain and company couldn’t afford to be bogged down in protracted transfer negotiations. It was a case of identifying a player and swiftly concluding negotiations with their club for their signature. That’s how the window played out.

Left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri was the first signing announced by Manchester City. The left-back joined the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Marcus Bettinelli was quickly signed from Chelsea. Bettinelli will become City’s third-choice goalkeeper. Manchester City’s signing of Rayan Cherki from Lyon was perhaps City’s most exciting signing of the summer from Lyon. Lastly, goal-scoring midfielder Tijjani Reijnders was signed from AC Milan.

With all four players signed, Manchester City’s goal was accomplished. They had made four key signings ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup. Pep Guardiola now has a new look squad to work with in the United States. That adds a layer of intrigue to the tournament that begins imminently.

Manchester City’s summer isn’t over as there is still work to do.

Despite Manchester City accomplishing their first goal of the summer, work still remains. Pep Guardiola’s squad needs a right-back. Perhaps they will also need to strengthen other positions. That will depend on which players leave City this summer. Finding clubs for players who are deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad is another job that the City hierarchy will have to complete. So while the short transfer window ahead of the Club World Cup was a success, it is only the beginning of a busy summer at the club.

If this summer is broken down into stages, the first stage was a success for Manchester City. They signed four players which gives Pep Guardiola’s squad a new dynamic. Despite, Khaldoon Al-Mubarak’s goal being complete, there remains much work to do this summer for Manchester City. But the fact that four key signings have been made is good news ahead of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. It now allows Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain time to focus on other areas off the pitch for the remainder of this summer.