Manchester City’s season may have come to a bitter end on Saturday when they lost the FA Cup final to rivals Manchester United 2-1, but plenty still went right for the blue and white over the last campaign.
Pep Guardiola’s squad lifted their fourth consecutive Premier League trophy and now has turned their attention to making it five in a row. On Sunday, Manchester City took their first step, as a loan clause resulted in their first summer transfer.
Manchester City transfer Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Southampton
On Sunday, Leeds United and Southampton squared off in the Championship playoff final, with an Adam Armstrong first-half strike making all the difference as the Saints earned promotion back to the Premier League.
The key to Southampton’s victory was the Saints’ backline smothering the Leeds United attack, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis was right in the heart of that defense.
Harwood-Bellis has spent the season on loan from Manchester City, starting 43 matches while scoring two goals and registering three assists.
As part of the loan agreement between Manchester City and Southampton, the Saints will now sign Harwood-Bellis on a permanent deal due to being promoted to the Premier League. The loan deal included an obligation to buy the 22-year-old for £20 million ($25.5 million), which Southampton will have to pay to the blue and white this summer when they sign Harwood-Bellis.
Where could that money be spent?
There are two logical places where Manchester City could spend £20 million. The first is in the midfield. Bernardo Silva is expected to depart this summer as the 29-year-old searches for a new challenge.
Silva is expected to net the blue and white £50 million ($63.8 million), so combining that with the other £20 million could result in Manchester City acquiring a top-tier midfielder or a couple of young midfielders with great potential.
The other would be buying another goalkeeper. Ederson has been rumored to leave this summer, and while Stefan Ortega has been a serviceable back-up, the blue and white may want an elite goalkeeper in what could be Guardiola’s final season as Manchester City’s manager.
Time will tell where the blue and white spend the money, but Manchester City will have to make some moves this summer if they hope to stave off Liverpool and Arsenal and capture their fifth consecutive Premier League title.