Having been charged with over 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, it’s safe to say all is not well at Manchester City.
While City remain adamant they can disprove all the allegations against them, the reality is they could be hit with a massive punishment, from docked points all the way to expulsion from the division.
Should things go as bad as possible for City, there could be a mass exodus from the Etihad, and there would be no shortage of suitors lining up to take advantage of the situation.
Disclaimer: this is all in a fictional world in which money doesn’t matter. Since we’re talking about City, that feels quite fitting.
Perfect for: Chelsea
Kevin De Bruyne may not fit Chelsea’s age profile – he turns 32 in June – but that wouldn’t be a problem for the Blues, who are just that desperate for any form of midfield creativity.
The Belgian’s first spell at Stamford Bridge didn’t go to plan but Chelsea wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. You’d like to think not, anyway.
Perfect for: Bayern Munich
Last summer, Bayern Munich lost the king of putting the ball in the back of the net, Robert Lewandowski, who scored 344 goals in 375 games for the Bavarians.
Bayern truly do need another player who just scores goals. They’ve got all the tools to get the ball in the box and, with Erling Haaland, they would get a Lewandowski regen who could restore them to their dominance of years gone by.
Perfect for: Bayern Munich
Joining Haaland in Munich could be Ederson, whose sweeper-keeper tendencies would fit perfectly in with a side who are preparing to bid farewell to Manuel Neuer.
The legendary Neuer has been in the club’s bad books recently, having broken his leg on a skiing trip and hit out at the decision to offload goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic. Maybe time for a change?
Perfect for: Real Madrid
Barcelona may have been touted as suitors for Bernardo Silva more, but Real Madrid would benefit most from adding the Portugal international.
With an ageing midfield, Real are on the cusp of needing significant reinforcements. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos only have a few years left at the top, but 28-year-old Silva would ensure they maintained their highest levels.
Perfect for: Liverpool
Ever since Sadio Mane left, Liverpool’s pressing stats have plummetted. In both attack and midfield, the Reds have lost that oomph that made them so dangerous.
At 22, Phil Foden would waltz into a number of positions in Liverpool’s current lineup, whether that be refreshing the ageing midfield or adding a bit more verve to the left wing.
Perfect for: Arsenal
Arsenal’s primary concern in their squad is the lack of creative maestros outside of Martin Odegaard. Young Fabio Vieira is an intriguing prospect but one who feels a few years away from being a genuine threat for minutes.
By signing Jack Grealish, Arsenal would find themselves another on-ball wizard who would relish the extra responsibility he’d get at the Emirates. Such a move could bring out the Aston Villa side of Grealish that we haven’t really seen in Manchester.
Perfect for: Barcelona
This could be Sergio Busquets’ last year at Barcelona. Frenkie de Jong has proven too important elsewhere to be a genuine heir to the 34-year-old’s throne.
Rodri is a pretty close match to Busquets when it comes to play style – keeping things ticking without getting crazy – and his La Liga experience would make him even more attractive.
Perfect for: PSG
Paris Saint-Germain have long been keeping an eye on Riyad Mahrez, who spent time in France before making his name in England with Leicester City.
The fleet-footed winger would add another dangerous dynamic to PSG’s forward line and give Christophe Galtier’s side the option of deploying wingers once again.
Perfect for: Inter
Inter are braced to say goodbye to Milan Skriniar, who has agreed a free transfer to PSG. They need a new star defender to take over next summer, and that’s where Ruben Dias comes in.
The Portugal international was widely seen as one of the best defenders in the world before his recent tumble down the pecking order, and so a switch to Serie A – the land of elite centre-backs – could be what he needs to find the appreciation he deserves once again.
Perfect for: Tottenham
Cristian Romero is one of the most intriguing defenders in world football. He can be elite on his day, which is more than you could say about most of Tottenham’s centre-backs.
In recent seasons, John Stones has been one of the Premier League’s more consistent defenders, and he’d fit perfectly into Spurs’ backline, where he could bring his passing vision and bravery to take Antonio Conte’s side up a level.
Credit: 90min.com
