MAN CITY
StrumSolo > 15/08/2013, 16:03
In: Fernandinho (Shakhtar Donetsk, £30m), Stevan Jovetic (Fiorentina, £22m), Jésus Navas (Seville, £17m rising to £22.9m), Alvaro Negredo (Seville, £16.4m rising to £20.6m).
Out: Carlos Tévez (Juventus, £10m rising to £12m), Jeremy Helan (Sheffield Wednesday, Undisclosed), Maicon (Roma, Undisclosed), Wayne Bridge (Reading, Free), Ryan McGivern (Hibs, Free), Roque Santa Cruz (Malaga, Free), Kolo Touré (Liverpool, Free), Karim Rekik (PSV Eindhoven, Loan), Reece Wabara (Doncaster, Loan).
Prediction: 2nd
City got their business done early this summer and as a result managed to sidestep all the sagas and frustration currently being experienced by their neighbours. It was decent business too. Jovetic and Negredo should be adequate replacements for Tevez and Balotelli, and in Jesus Navas they’ve signed one of the most explosive wingers in Europe. Fernandinho can’t be bad either if they paid £30m for him.
With Mancini gone as well, they’re looking in much better shape now than they were at the end of last season. Manuel Pellegrini has good European pedigree and you’d expect them to make a better go of the Champions League this year. There’s enough depth for a title challenge too, just not enough to get past Chelsea in my opinion.