Manchester City broke a 10-year streak of a Croatian winning the Champions League with their triumph in Istanbul - much to Inter star Marcelo Brozovic’s disappointment.
They are seemingly trying to make amends by welcoming in Mateo Kovacic with Josko Gvardiol looking like he will soon follow. The RB Leipzig defender has told his club he wishes to join the Blues and it looks likely City are due to welcome in a seventh centre-back, should Taylor Harwood-Bellis be counted.
However, it’s likely the latter will be loaned out again, or even sold, and he wouldn't be the only defender to depart. Pep Guardiola’s admission that he wouldn’t have minded Joao Cancelo joining Manchester United in January tells that story.
Bayern Munich opted against triggering his £60m+ buy-out clause following his short loan spell and there doesn’t seem to be a way back for him at City, who won the Treble without a top-class left-back.
Riyad Mahrez exit would give one Man City player what he has been waiting for
Following the boos he received when coming on for Bayern against City in the Champions League quarter-finals, Cancelo might not be shedding a tear as he leaves - unlike Aymeric Laporte.
The Spain international was overcome with emotion as City lifted the Premier League title in May, sitting on the Etihad turf as the eyes welled up and overflowed. His captain that day has already left and will be donning the stripes of Barcelona next season.
Laporte has also been linked with a number of big-hitters on the continent albeit it’s understood that no offers are yet to arrive at Guardiola’s desk. The 29-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, slipped down the pecking order last year.
While Manu Akanji, Ruben Dias, John Stones and
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