Pep Guardiola has maintained throughout his time at Manchester City that refreshing the squad is a necessity to continue a constant hunger for success.
As we saw in the 2019/20 season, keeping the same faces around for too long will - naturally - lower the levels of commitment after back-to-back Premier League title successes. So, this season, Guardiola is taking no chances and changes are aplenty at the Etihad Stadium.
Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling have both left to join Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, with Oleksandr Zinchenko also heavily linked with a move to the Emirates. Nathan Aké is now expected to stay, but City have supplemented the squad with four exciting new arrivals.
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Erling Haaland is the standout name to fill the Sergio Agüero-shaped void, but Julian Alvarez is another electric forward who has arrived in England with real potential. Kalvin Phillips has made the move from Leeds United and Stefan Ortega has joined as the back-up goalkeeper.
There could be business still to be done, but one position that hasn't been mentioned could become a real issue next summer - the more attack-minded central midfielders.
At the moment, City have Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan to fill that role. The latter is out of contract next year and there has been no indication that any extension is on the table - meaning the German is likely to leave the club for free.
The other interesting situation is Bernardo Silva. Links with Barcelona do not seem to be going away and there is an interest from both player and club to make a deal happen at some point. The Catalan giants have financial problems of their own, but as Silva's contract ticks down, links with a move to the Camp Nou will only grow stronger.
It seems unlikely right now, but if that were to materialise it would leave the Blues with just one senior recognised number eight in the squad. Kevin De Bruyne - still at his thrilling best - will be a starter for the next few years, but he cannot carry the creative burden himself. If Gundogan and Silva leave in the same summer, it would create a problem for Guardiola.
City would need to sign two specialist midfielders. Replacing them with two players might be easy, but replacing them with two players of the same calibre, in the same summer, is a huge ask.
There is, of course, scope for Phil Foden or Jack Grealish to move back into that role, but that would again leave the Blues short in attacking areas. With no number eights linked with the club at present, it looks something they are happy to address at the end of next season.
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