Having completed the signing of Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola will now be looking to move on to other targets as he looks to take Manchester City one step further next season.
Strength in depth has been vital in modern football for a number of years now with match congestion proving to be a real issue for Europe's elite clubs. Following the release of City's schedule for next season, it has become more apparent than ever that the Blues will need a strong squad to be successful again.
The unprecedented winter World Cup in Qatar will put the Premier League season on pause in November before resuming again on Boxing Day. After the tournament, it will be likely that many of Pep's men will be suffering fatigue due to the extra matches which will have been played in the heat of the Middle East.
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To ensure that City have a squad capable of challenging on four fronts in 2022/23, they must address their left-back situation this summer. At present, the Blues' Oleksandr Zinchenko is looking set to leave the Etihad.
Arsenal are thought to be keen on adding him to their ranks which would leave Guardiola's team short should he choose to depart. Throughout last season, Joao Cancelo filled in at left-back to help ease the burden and has played exceptionally, but this is not a viable long-term solution for the Blues.
Considering the difficult schedule to come, Guardiola has reportedly set his sights on Marc Cucurella in an attempt to bolster his defence. During his debut season in the Premier League, the 23-year-old adapted superbly to the division and put in some stellar performances for Graham Potter's side.
Should Cucurella arrive in Manchester this summer, Cancelo would be able to move to his more favoured right-back position as Cucurella has already proven that he could comfortably start week-in, week-out in England's top flight. Naturally should injury or rotation occur, Cancelo could move over to left-back temporarily, allowing Kyle Walker to regain his place in the starting XI.
The Spaniard's transfer to the Blues would not only be crucial for squad depth but also for allowing Guardiola the opportunity to improve an area of the pitch that he has already deemed pivotal to the way his team plays. Speaking before City's fixture with Liverpool at the Etihad, Guardiola outlined how important full-backs are in the modern game.
"Today the position of full-backs is more important in how teams must play," Guardiola told the press. "When teams play narrow and deep, the spaces are there when they have quality."
If he signs Cucurella this summer, Guardiola will be hoping that the full-back could exploit these areas in a similar vein to which Cancelo managed. Full-backs will also be pivotal to helping Haaland rack up the goals.
The Norwegian will be hoping for good deliveries throughout the campaign from wide areas as well as through the centre of the park. Cucurella will hope he can fit into this new system next season.
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