Manchester City enjoyed another one of their fairytale seasons. Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, the Citizens lifted their third Premier League title, breaking all sorts of records.
City ended the season with a whopping 100 points in the league, making them the first team to do so. They also broke the record for most consecutive wins in the Premier League with 18 straight victories and 31 in total, surpassing the 13-game record held by Chelsea.
The Cityzens also broke Chelsea’s record for the most goals (103) scored in a single campaign by racking up 105 goals in the league. To top it all off, Guardiola’s men also broke the record for the most number of passes made in a single game, culminating a total of 902, which came during their 1-0 win against Chelsea in March.
Ilkay Gundogan’s 167 successful passes and 181 touches from the same game have also made their way into the Premier League records.
Guardiola almost made it look too easy. He defied all the critics last season but now, the former Barcelona manager will be aiming to make a strong title defence.
City are reportedly on the verge of signing Napoli midfielder Jorginho. Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has rejected a bid of €50million from City but an agreement doesn’t seem too far away now. With the departure of Yaya Toure, City will certainly require a like-for-like midfielder.
Jorginho could be the man to take the Ivorian’s place. Although the Brazilian is often utilized as a defensive midfielder, he can play a variety of roles.
Jorginho has made 133 Serie A appearances for Napoli since joining the club from Hellas Verona in 2014, establishing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet. The midfielder made 29 appearances in the league last season, scoring 2 goals and providing 4 assists.
His passing skills are impeccable and he has the ability to pick out the right players even in the tightest of situations. He also has impressive ball control, which is something Pep is known to like in his players. In addition to that, Jorginho also has the ability to retain possession under all kinds of pressure. Thus, he could be the perfect replacement for Yaya Toure.
With a shortage in their number of defensive midfielders, the champions will need reinforcements if they are to replicate last season’s performances. And to that end, a move for Jorginho could greatly benefit the club.
