Pep Guardiola's Task Ahead of the New Season: Maintaining the Depth of Manchester City's Squad

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. (Photo: Twitter @ManCity)

JAKARTA - Manchester City has just won the 2022/2023 Champions League. However, this did not make Pep Guardiola complacent.

He immediately shifted his focus to preparing the team for next season and targeted three new player transfers. The three players are to replace several players who will leave.

The man from Spain does have a big job to maintain the depth of the squad which may be vacant by a number of players, including the captain Ilkay Gundogan.

Reporting from The Mirror, Guardiola is targeting Chelsea defensive midfielder Mateo Kovacic as a replacement if Gundogan really leaves at the end of this season.

Signing Kovacic as soon as possible is Guardiola's realistic target in the transfer market this summer.

Although it is estimated that Kovacic's signing will cost £45 million, with midfielder Kevin De Bruyne injured and Gundogan possibly leaving, Kovacic's arrival would be the right option to fill in the midfield.

In addition, at the back line, defender Aymeric Laporte has indicated his desire to leave after only making 11 appearances in the Premier League and not being included in Guardiola's scheme.

To fill the defender position left by Laporte, Manchester City are rumored to be bringing in RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol. Gvardiol has indeed attracted the interest of a number of top European clubs.

That was thanks to his impressive performance with the Croatian national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The cost to bring in Gvardiol is estimated at 80 million pounds.

Even though Bernardo Silva's status, which has not yet reached a bright spot to stay at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City still has a promising option on the left flank by placing Phil Foden.

Pep Guardiola is also reportedly interested in Brighton and Hove Albion winger Julio Enciso who will add to the depth of The Citizens squad if they lose Riyad Mahrez who is likely to receive an offer to play in Saudi Arabia.