Ferran Soriano indicates Manchester City’s summer transfer business may be over | OneFootball

Manchester City chief Ferran Soriano has offered a firm indication that the club’s transfer business may have concluded.

The club’s newly-appointed director of football Hugo Viana has been immensely busy at the start of his Etihad Stadium career, welcoming four new faces into Pep Guardiola’s squad in time for the start of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Three of those names are expected to be regular faces in the Manchester City manager’s starting line-ups, with Rayan Ait-Nouri bolstering defence from left-back, Tijjani Reijnders coming into the versatile No8 role in midfield, and Rayan Cherki adding attacking flair.

There would also prove to be a change of guard in the third-choice goalkeeper position, as Scott Carson vacated his such role after six seasons at the Etihad Stadium, replaced by Chelsea’s Marcus Bettinelli for a nominal fee.

But while there has been some talk about a potential new right-back coming into the side, comments from one of the leading officials within Manchester City’s hierarchy could suggest otherwise.

Speaking during the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, Manchester City’s Ferran Soriano has offered his personal delight at the club’s transfer business and the state of play within the first-team squad.

“I’m happy with the work we did,” chief executive officer Soriano admitted, as relayed by MailSport’s Jack Gaughan.

He continued, “Last summer we only bought one new player but this year between the winter and the summer it will be eight new ones.

“It’s part of the annual cycle, the renewal of the squad. We accelerated some of it and now we are very happy with the squad we have.”

Hugo Viana and Manchester City’s recruitment staff were believed to be interested in Newcastle United and England Under-21 international Tino Livramento as a possible long-term successor to the outgoing Kyle Walker.

However, a clear difference in valuations on the right-back meant that no such deal was finalised in time for the summer’s tournament Stateside, and it remains to be seen whether City will re-open talks after the Club World Cup or European Championships has concluded.

Eddie Howe is firm in the belief that Livramento will remain a part of his squad for the upcoming season, while Kyle Walker will certainly be leaving the City side this summer and is attracting interest from Everton and Fenerbahce.