It’s going to be a long while, June at the earliest (and that’s the most optimistic timeline), until we have a match to make a starting XI prediction for again. In the meantime, we have plenty of transfer talk. We even made an all-transfer rumors Manchester City starting XI (which can be viewed at this link) The thing about transfer rumors is that they can get extremely tedious quite quickly, so these are rather dull times for sports fanatics and sports reporters.
Of course, if you’re bored right now that’s a luxury- it’s where you want to be during a pandemic. That’s because a lot of people right now have such serious concerns, of matters way beyond sports that there’s no time for the much lesser evil of boredom.
Be very thankful if you’re bored right now, because being so allows you the availability of taking a trip to fantasy land. Let’s pretend, in this fantasy reality, City signed everyone they wanted, and no one of great importance leaves.
That’s a lot of ifs, I know, but let’s say all these hypotheticals come to fruition, and the whole team is healthy.
We give you the optimal Manchester City Starting XI
Sterling Aguero Rodriguez
Aouar Rodri De Bruyne
Zinchenko Laporte Upamecano Walker
Ederson
We start up top with the addition of Real Madrid outcast and wing player James Rodriguez, who is potentially looking for a new home. City is among the clubs that could be in play for the Colombian.
Of course, City have so much talent and depth at numerous positions that there are many ways you can with this lineup. A lot of debates cna be had about who to sub in and out, and where. One player most can agree on wanting to have in their team’s line-up is 21-year-old Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar who is coveteed by a few of the big clubs this summer.
However, the biggest action in the transfer window for City will likely be in the central defender position group. It will be interesting to see who they could acquire to pair up with Aymeric Laporte. Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig, who is alos wanted by United, could fetch around £52.5m (€60m).
Other central defenders in play for a move to the Emirates include Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar and Marseille’s Duje Caleta-Car. Overall, City doesn’t have to do all that much, other than improve the central defense, in order to get back to the top.
All Transfer Rumor Starting XI Series
Optimal Starting XI Series
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link