Man City return home from tour with spaces left in Pep Guardiola squad
It feels like a long time ago since Manchester City denied reports of an agreement with RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
Not two weeks have passed, but days can be long for anyone waiting for transfer activity and the Blues have played three games in two different countries on the other side of the world in that time. Since the Gvardiol non-news as they were making their way to Japan, the only concrete development since has been the confirmed sale of Riyad Mahrez.
There were plenty of positives for City to take from the football that they played under Pep Guardiola in their three friendlies, and significant commercial success in a part of the world where the club are seriously targeting for growth. As far as the squad looks though for the defence of the Premier League and Champions League, there does not appear to have been much progress.
City will certainly be encouraged from the presence of Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva on the flight back. Bayern were optimistic about landing Walker and there were talks between the clubs before their friendly in Tokyo, yet so far there has been no resolution; Bernardo also remains a City player with no exit route apparent.
Also read: What we learned from City's record-breaking summer tour
If there are still question marks over those two though, nobody else on the tour was able to deliver the sort of performances that make them a shoe-in for Guardiola's plans. Oscar Bobb and James McAtee both showed promise and there is a vacancy on the right wing due to Mahrez's absence that would suit Bobb in particular, although the lineup for Atletico suggested that the manager does not feel he has a ready-made replacement for the winger he has lost.
Kalvin Phillips also failed to live up
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