Yaya Toure. Vincent Kompany. David Silva. Sergio Aguero.
For the last four summers in succession, Manchester City have waved an emotional goodbye to a club legend, a player integral to them becoming the super club they are today. This year it could well be a fifth but, instead, everything possible should be done to buck the trend and keep Fernandinho at the Etihad.
The City stalwart is now into his ninth season in the Premier League and, just like it was last year when he signed a one-year extension, his contract is currently set to expire in the summer. City have done such a good job in recent years of knowing when it's time to say goodbye to defining players when other clubs would become attached and allow to deteriorate at the top level.
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Sentimentality can be costly in this and the club has never allowed it to rule its thought process when handing out new contracts.
There is a mixed record on replacing them, there's no doubt there. It took City a season, in which they surrendered the title to Liverpool before they brought in Ruben Dias, to replace Kompany. They failed to sign a new out-and-out striker to replace Aguero in the summer, too, with attempts to bring in Harry Kane proving fruitless.
Yet it's hard to argue that the decision to let those players go wasn't the right one. Each of them, while still immensely talented, were past their peaks and it was better to allow them to leave on tear-jerking highs rather than fizzling out. You'd rather leave with people thinking it's too soon than them ushering you out the door.
There would be a nice synergy to Fernandinho leaving this summer. Five years in a row in which iconic and important players have left, but City have still gone from strength to strength; it would be further proof of their ability to renew and build upon what came before.
But, this time around it might actually make more sense to keep Fernandinho around for just a little longer and Guardiola certainly wants him to. " I would love it," the Blues boss said on the possibility of him doing so.
"I'm so glad to have him he's an incredible captain and player. I have a feeling now at 36, 37, he struggled a little bit coming back from holidays but now he's getting his rhythm. For him he doesn't care, he will play against Peterborough.
"Other players his age wouldn't want to play there in cold weather, but he wants to help to give rest to Rodri. At the end of the season, Txiki [Begiristain] and the club have to decide."
There doesn't seem to be much of a downside for the hierarchy to keeping the Brazilian for another season. Though Rodri is obviously the first-choice defensive-midfielder now, Fernandinho is perhaps the best back-up you could possibly when the Spaniard needs resting or is otherwise unavailable.
Though Fernandinho can rarely start more than once a week, when he does he still has an incredible engine on him for any footballer, let alone one that is 36, and there have still been some important league games this season in which he has crucial to City's victory. He is still more than capable in most games and his expert ability to be able to commit as many fouls as he wants without getting booked is unmatched.
If he was to go, a replacement would need to be brought in as well, which would only take time and budget away from the striker search which is bound to dominate the summer. Erling Haaland won't be cheap and City could do with focussing all their resources in that direction.
The captain is clearly a guiding light for the rest of the dressing room, too. His experience and leadership qualities are vital, especially in high-pressure situations. He is the oldest outfielder in the squad by some distance in what is otherwise a youthful team, with only Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker at the 30 mark.
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What's even more interesting is that Fernandinho seems to be gearing himself towards a coaching role when he finally calls time on his glittering career. Even when sat on the bench he is often seen relaying instructions or giving support to his teammates, just like he was at during the Manchester derby, and it's easy to see a transition into Guardiola's coaching staff at some stage.
"This kind of thing comes from himself," Guardiola said on Fernadninho. "At half-time when we have time to fix things they talk and every player has the freedom to do so. I love it when players talk about the game.
"In terms of how the people respect them, yeah definitely," he added when asked is he similar to midfielder-turned-coach Mikel Arteta. "About knowledge, passion, license to be a manager I didn't speak with that about Fernaidnoh but a holding midfielder, captain, he is thinking about the club, he has everything to be a manager."
But even if Fernandinho does have eyes on a coaching role, and it seems clear he has a job for life at City whatever he wants to do, there is no need to start it just yet. He's still a highly valuable asset on the pitch and, if he wants to keep the good times rolling, City should oblige him.
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