After the FIFA Club World Cup, Manchester City could determine whether they need to make more signings this summer.
If Hugo Viana addresses each and every priority area of Pep Guardiola’s squad, he will be heralded by City fans for years to come for playing a key role in one of their darkest periods in recent history.
Guardiola aims to win the Premier League next season and he will have vengeance on his mind after enduring arguably the most disappointing campaign of his glittering career.
Ilkay Gundogan backs Manchester City to bounce back and judging by the signings they have made in Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri, it is easy to see why the German made such a claim.
Premier League’s homegrown rules could stop Man City from signing Rodrygo
One of the players who City have been heavily linked with this summer is Rodrygo Goes.
Rodrygo wishes to join Manchester City despite Arsenal being ready to sign the Brazilian, who is valued by Real Madrid at £77 million.
However, the primary issue for the Sky Blues is that as things stand, they cannot sign the former Santos winger due to the Premier League’s Home Grown Player (HGP) rules — which permits clubs to only have 17 non homegrown players in their squads — a limit they have already reached.
Considering Manchester City’s interest in signing Rodrygo, unless they sell one of their non-homegrown players, they will officially not be allowed to sign him.
While City have several homegrown players in their squad, the rule applies to players like Rodrygo, who is not a homegrown player as he was not registered with a club affiliated with the FA or the Football Association of Wales for three seasons, regardless of whether they are continuous or 36 months before his 21st birthday.
| MAN CITY’S 17 NON-HOMEGROWN PLAYERS |
| EDERSON MORAES |
| STEFAN ORTEGA |
| MATHEUS NUNES |
| RUBEN DIAS |
| MANUEL AKANJI |
| JOSKO GVARDIOL |
| RAYAN AIT-NOURI |
| RODRI |
| NICO GONZALEZ |
| MATEO KOVACIC |
| RAYAN CHERKI |
| TIJJANI REIJNDERS |
| ILKAY GUNDOGAN |
| JEREMY DOKU |
| BERNARDO SILVA |
| OMAR MARMOUSH |
| ERLING HAALAND |
As a result, as brilliant a player as Rodrygo, who Carlo Ancelotti called “elegant” is, City might well have to pass up on the chance to sign him from Real Madrid.
Rodrygo could sign for Man City as one Pep Guardiola favourite nears exit
However, if Manchester City were to sign Rodrygo, they would be bringing in a potentially world-class winger who could take them to the next level.
With Jack Grealish set to leave Manchester City and Jeremy Doku still not being the finished article, City lack a bona fide match-winner on the left-wing.
But City could still sign Rodrygo as Gundogan has agreed personal terms with Galatasaray.
Gundogan is keen to join Galatasaray despite moving to the Etihad Stadium last summer.
The 34-year-old’s departure would free up a space in Manchester City’s squad, allowing them to sign Rodrygo.
