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Guardian football writer Jamie Jackson believes this summer will be a “mini freshening of the squad” for Manchester City, but he thinks next summer could be key for finding the long-term replacement for Kevin de Bruyne.
The 32-year-old Belgian is under contract until 2025, but Jackson thinks City will act in next summer’s window.
On this summer’s transfers, he told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Gundogan has left and they got Kovacic in. Obviously, he is not a like-for-like replacement.
“Riyad Mahrez is another player who has been mentioned and has been offered decent money to go to Saudi Arabia. I don’t think Pep Guardiola will want to lose him.
“Bernardo Silva is the perennial one who always seems to be on his way to Barcelona. I would suggest if he was to lose both of those players he is going to have to replace them.
“The big issue for them is Kevin de Bruyne. He’s getting a little bit older, he had to come off in the Champions League final and he is basically Pep Guardiola’s fantasy footballer - a bit like David Silva was.
“That’s why they wanted Jude Bellingham this summer to be the next one. Next summer it will be interesting to see, but it’s a mini freshening of the squad at City [this summer].”
