Will Manchester City target a certain type of full-back based on Pep Guardiola’s recent tactical shift? | OneFootball

As Manchester City have gone on an eight-match unbeaten run of late we have seen Pep Guardiola change his tactics and set up on the pitch. The principles of City’s play remain. Control, possession and pressing high up the pitch remain key to Manchester City’s play. But the way Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes have been used at left and right-back may provide a clue as to what type of full-back Manchester City could target this summer.

Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes have added a new dimension to City’s attacking play.

Ever since he has been inserted into the starting lineup at left-back Nico O’Reilly has added control and stability to City’s lineup. O’Reilly’s forward runs from left-back have also been a stand-out feature of his play. At right-back, Matheus Nunes has added width to City’s play. His forward runs down the right flank have added another element to City’s play. Due to the width provided by O’Reilly and Nunes, it has allowed Pep Guardiola to flood the midfield. No longer are Manchester City easy to play through. Out of possession their flooding of the midfield has covered up what was a weakness in Pep Guardiola’s side earlier this season. Perhaps how City are playing currently indicates what type of full-back they’ll target this summer.

City could aim to target attacking full-backs this summer.

Looking ahead to this summer, there is an argument for Manchester City to target both a left and a right-back. But using Pep Guardiola’s recent tactics as a guide there’s merit to City aiming to add full-backs who can be a threat going forward. Two players City have been linked with recently would fill this need.

Jason Pettigrove has previously reported for CaughtOffside that Manchester City are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong this summer. Frimpong is an attacking right-back. He’d immediately add more quality to City’s attacking play. Based on how City are currently playing you can see how he’d fit into the Manchester City lineup.

At left-back, a report from Subhankar Mondal for TeamTalk indicates that City have an interest in signing AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez. Furthermore, Mondal reports that if City can’t sign Andrea Cambiaso, they’ll instead target the French international. Hernandez is another player who is an attacking weapon from the full-back position. So he’d also fit into the current system Pep Guardiola is utilising.

Looking at how Manchester City are currently playing we could see them target attacking full-backs this summer. There’s definitely merit to the idea. City being linked with players such as Jeremie Frimpong and Theo Hernandez suggests that it could be a move Manchester City pursue.