Do you know Pep Guardiola first 10 Manchester City signings? When Pep Guardiola took the reigns at Manchester City, he set about a major overhaul of the squad, bringing in several new players. Over time, some of these signings have proven to be integral members of the team, while others have moved on to different clubs.
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Pep Guardiola first 10 Manchester City signings
Today, we will take a look at the first 10 signings that Guardiola made at Manchester City and where they are now?
1. Ilkay Gundogan
Gundogan was the first official signing of the Guardiola era, with Manchester City paying £21million to secure the services of the versatile midfielder. And despite a serious knee injury that curtailed his first season in England, Gundogan quickly became a key player for City, playing a crucial role in their domestic double-winning campaign.
Since then, Gundogan has continued to thrive in both defensive and offensive roles, playing a pivotal role in Manchester City’s continued success. His adaptability has been priceless for Guardiola, and in fact, Gundogan was last year appointed as the new captain of Manchester City, cementing his status as one of the club’s key figures.
Strangely enough, he has left the club to join Barcelona in a move no one saw coming. Maybe, City’s treble had a role to play in that decision.
2. Nolito
The Spanish forward who arrived in the Premier League as one of Spain’s most prolific strikers, made an electric start to life at Manchester City, with seven-goal contributions in his first nine appearances. However, his influence began to decrease as the season progressed, and he struggled to settle in England. After just 12 months at the Etihad, he was offloaded to Sevilla.
Since leaving Manchester City, Nolito has spent three years back at his former club, Celta Vigo, before joining Spanish second-tier outfit Ibiza in the summer. Despite his initial promise, it’s fair to say that Nolito ultimately failed to live up to expectations at Manchester City, making him one of Guardiola’s less successful signings.
3. Oleksandr Zinchenko
If you remember, Guardiola also made a signing that kinda went under the radar. And that signing was Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Ukrainian youngster arrived at Manchester City for just £1m and didn’t immediately set pulses racing in the city.
However, Zinchenko’s versatility and consistency have made him one of the best pound-for-pound signings of Guardiola’s tenure. Although he spent time on loan at PSV Eindhoven, Zinchenko made the most of an unexpected opportunity in the first team during the 2018/19 campaign.
Despite never truly nailing down a regular starting role at the Etihad, Guardiola himself admits that a player of Zinchenko’s caliber was deserving of a more prominent role. After six years of service, Zinchenko was lured to Arsenal in the summer and has played a key role in the Gunners’ unanticipated title charge.
4. Leroy Sane
Next Pep signing was Leroy Sane whose acquisition was seen as a statement of intent by Manchester City, as they paid a whopping £45m for the young German winger. Sane did not disappoint, as he became an integral part of the City squad, helping them win two consecutive Premier League titles.
However, Sane’s time at the Etihad was not without its setbacks. He suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for much of the 2019/20 season and despite interest from Bayern Munich, City managed to keep hold of Sane for another year before ultimately selling him to the German champions.
Since moving to Bayern, Sane has given mixed performances and faced some criticism for his inconsistency at times.
5. Marlos Moreno
Pep also signed Marlos Moreno in 2016. He arrived at Manchester City just days before John Stones, and although the Colombian was seen as one of South America’s hottest prospects, his time in Manchester was a major disappointment. Moreno failed to make a single senior appearance for City and was loaned out seven times during his six years on the club’s books. He finally left the Etihad in 2022 to join French side Troyes. But he recently joined Konyaspor on loan until the end of this season.
6. Geronimo Rulli
Geronimo Rulli arrived in Manchester City during the summer of 2016 for a reported fee of £4 million from Deportivo Maldonado. However, the Argentine goalkeeper was immediately loaned out to Real Sociedad, where he had spent the previous three years on loan.
Although Rulli never made an appearance for the Citizens, his performances at Sociedad earned him a permanent move to the Spanish club in January 2017. He continued to impress in La Liga, making over 100 appearances for Sociedad before moving to Villarreal in 2020.
City fans may have been cheering his name during the 2021 Europa League final, as Rulli played a key role in Villarreal’s victory over Manchester United. However, Rulli has since moved on to Ajax, where he now plies his trade in the Eredivisie.
7. John Stones
Anyway, perhaps the most compact and solid signing among all was John Stones.
John Stones’ arrival at Manchester City for a staggering £ 50 million was met with much fanfare, but it’s fair to say his journey at the Etihad hasn’t been plain sailing.
Nonetheless, Stones has consistently proven his worth in key moments, such as his goal-line clearance against Liverpool in 2019 that helped clinch the title for City. The defender’s game has gone from strength to strength, with a standout season last year and another stellar season this year, earning him the trust of Guardiola.
8. Pablo Mari
Former Manchester City player, Pablo Mari, may have been largely unknown during his time with the club, having never made a senior appearance for the Citizens, but his career since then has been far from uneventful. After several loan spells, Mari was sold to Brazilian side Flamengo, where he won the Brazilian championship and Copa Libertadores. His performances there convinced Mikel Arteta and Arsenal to sign him on a permanent transfer after a successful loan spell with the Gunners. But now he has been loaned to Serie A side Monza.
9. Claudio Bravo
Pep also invested in Claudio Bravo to replace Joe Hart as the first-choice goalkeeper. However, the Chilean international struggled to adapt to the Premier League and was often criticized for his distribution.
Despite this, Bravo had a successful time at City, winning three League Cups, one Premier League title, and one FA Cup. He made a total of 61 appearances for the club, conceding 60 goals and keeping 27 clean sheets. His transfer fee of just over £15 million was considered reasonable at the time, and it proved to be a good investment for City. After four seasons with the club, Bravo left for Real Betis, where he became their first-choice goalkeeper. But now at 40, he appears to be nearing the end of his career.
10. Gabriel Jesus
Now, the last and the most profitable bargain on the list is Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian striker quickly established himself as a valuable member of the squad, forming a deadly partnership with Sergio Aguero.
Despite playing mostly as a substitute or on the wing, Jesus contributed greatly to City’s success during his time at the club. In 236 games, he scored 95 goals and provided 46 assists, helping the team win two Premier League titles, three League Cups, and one FA Cup.
At a transfer fee of £27 million, Jesus proved to be a bargain for City, and he remains the only player to have been sold for a profit from Guardiola’s first signings. In the summer of 2022, he was sold to Arsenal for £45 million, where he has already made an instant impact.
