Premier League 2017-18: Ranking the transfer windows of all 20 teams
By James Dudko
8. Manchester City
Notable Ins: Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy, Kyle Walker, Danilo, Ederson
Notable Outs: Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Bacary Sagna, Fernando
City spent as much as anyone this summer, probably more. Yet the Citizens didn’t get the player they really wanted, after leaving it too late to sign Sanchez.
Waiting until the 11th hour to try and force Arsenal into a sale was a dubious decision, one lamented by John Cross of the Daily Mirror.
Both the Citizens and Sanchez were left fuming at how this transfer saga ultimately played out, according to Paul Hirst and Gary Jacob of The Times (subscription required).
Not only did City not get Sanchez, the mega-rich Manchester club also spent a fortune but still overlooked an obvious weakness at centre-back. So the heart of defense for a legitimate title contender still features mistake-prone duo John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi, as well as made-of-glass skipper Vincent Kompany.
Instead, City were content to spend the equivalent of a global deficit on three full-backs. Kyle Walker has already been suspended, while Benjamin Mendy didn’t appear until City’s third league game.
Admittedly, Mendy was highly impressive on his debut, the 2-1 win at Bournemouth. Meanwhile, Danilo has also made a positive start to his career in England after moving from Real Madrid.
City still boast ample firepower, even without signing Sanchez. The squad also has one more stylish artisan after the signing schemer Bernardo Silva from Monaco.
Manager Pep Guardiola’s team is also more athletically adept to play his pressing game thanks to the new full-backs. Even so, City will rue not fortifying the middle of defence if more woes at the back cost them the title.