With another Premier League title in the bag and a Champions League on the trophy cabinet, it was once again a big summer for Manchester City. Having spent the 22/23 season with a new title challenger in Arsenal, City ended up making the title win, once again, look fairly easy.
Elsewhere, Pep finally delivered on the Champions League promise, and spent the summer tweaking his tried and tested formula as City looked to retain their titles. But how do you improve on what some people would already claim to be the best squad in Europe? Well, with the help of some extra cash from the Saudi Pro League, Pep was able to move on some of the side's older players, and replace them with a fresh group of hungry players.
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Manchester City new signings: Summer 2023 arrivals
Josko Gvardiol
With Laporte leaving for the Saudi League, Gvardiol was a key target for Pep throughout the transfer window. At one stage, it looked in doubt after Fabrizio Romano “leaked” a deal had been agreed between the clubs. RB Leipzig took offense to that, and allegedly stalled progress.
City eventually got their man for a cool £77m, as Pep continues to spend big on defenders during his time at City. Gvardiol played 30 times in the league for Leipzig last season, scoring one goal and becoming a key player for the side. His move to City's first team at just 21 years of age is a massive step up in his career.
Jérémy Doku
Doku, another 21-year-old, joined City as another exciting young talent. Fending off interest from teams all across Europe, Doku will now look to find a place on the wings, a hotly contested position within the City side.
Despite his young age, Doku became a regular at Stade Rennais, picking up 92 appearances. Doku has also picked up 14 senior caps for Belgium already, and with a move to the Premier League secured, Doku will undoubtedly be a household name soon.
Mateo Kovačić
It's an honour to join this club, everyone has been so welcoming and it's a privilege to be at a club that has been so successful over the years. pic.twitter.com/60KENmtBmL
— Mateo Kovacic (@mateokovacic8) June 27, 2023
The first of the summer recruits, Kovačić turned heads at first as he moved from the blue of London to the blue of Manchester. The £25m fee already looks like a bargain, with Kovačić proving to be a pivotal player in the City midfield already.
Kovačić played 142 times for Chelsea, netting four times. A period spanning from 2018-2019, when he joined on loan from Real Madrid. At just 29 years of age, Kovačić has plenty left in the tank, with his £25m fee likely to look like a bargain.
Matheus Nunes
With deadline day here, Pep looks to have added the final bit of firepower to his squad. With money freed up from the sale of Cole Palmer to Chelsea, Pep has moved to sign another midfielder. Costing around £53m from Wolves, Nunes looks to be the final signing City will make this window. The deal also includes a 10% sell-on clause for Wolves on any future profit from Nunes' sale.
With Kevin De Bryne picking up an injury, Pep will feel his hand was forced to sign a midfield option. Nunes was key for Wolves last season as they avoided relegation.
Nunes arrives at City! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/kawVz5b5DX
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 1, 2023
Manchester City transfer departures
Riyad Mahrez
Mayrez was one of the highest-profile players to depart for the Saudi Pro League, and one of the first to surprise many. Mahrez has been a prolific bit-part player for City, though he always seemed to deliver when it mattered most. Scoring an impressive 43 goals in 145 games, Mahrez leaves the Premier League as one of its best in recent years. At 32, Mahrez will likely see out his career in the Saudi League with Al-Ahli.
Aymeric Laporte
Dear Cityzens, today I wanted to share a story with you…
It has lasted for five and a half unforgettable years. Plenty of memories that I will keep forever close to my heart. pic.twitter.com/hR2e5CWfVi
— Aymeric Laporte (@Laporte) August 23, 2023
Another City player transferred to the Saudi League, Laporte became a key player for City, picking up 121 appearances for Pepe's side. He was a surprise departure, though with City replacing him for Gvardiol it will likely be seen as an upgrade. At 29, Laporte still has plenty of time ahead of him, and we suspect this isn't the last time we see him playing in a European league.
Laporte famously switched his international allegiance from France to Spain in 2021, and has since claimed 22 caps for his new national side. He was also part of the team that claimed the Nations League final.
James Trafford
Having just arrived in the Premier League, Burnley were looking to step up their goalkeeping department. Their admiration for Man City's James Trafford was a running saga throughout the window. While most people had no idea who Trafford was, he was thrown into the spotlight once he starred in England's U21s European title in the Summer. However, that success and profile didn't put the brakes on the deal, with Man City happy to let the young stopper move on with his career. The £19m fee paid by Burnley for the keeper also shows how important the City youth development program is for the club's future. Having never made a senior appearance for City, the £19m fee is a real coup for City. And, as luck would have it, he'd make his senior debut for Burnley against his former club City.
Ilkay Gündogan
Gündogan has become an iconic member of the City side that has brought so much success to the side in recent years. Gündogan himself has become a bit of a cult hero at the club, with some of his goals becoming key moments and even cup-winning moments. Gündogan now moves to Barcelona on a free transfer, ending his 6-year stay at Man City as he looks to head to a new adventure in La Liga.
Yangel Herrera
Herrera might not be a known name to many City fans, and after five loan spells, he's finally secured a permanent move. Herrera spent time in New York City, Huesca, Granda, Espanyol, and Girona. Girona then secured the move permanently this season after an impressive season on loan. At 25 years of age, Herrera has plenty of time to prove City made a mistake in letting him go, and with a £4m fee being paid, Girona might have secured themselves a lovely deal.
Benjamin Mendy
Having spent two years not playing for City due to being arrested. Mendy has taken his free status to make a move back to his native France with Lorient. Mendy signed a two-year contract with the French side looking to revive the 29-year-old career.
Cole Palmer
A shock sale for the window, as Manchester City youngster Palmer moves to the blue side of London. Signing for Chelsea at close to £50m, Palmer is another great example of Manchester City making incredible value from youth team talent. With a number of major outbound players this summer, City have given themselves a lot of room to breath in the FFP-restricted transfer market.