Man City boss Pep Guardiola has already explained what it will take to replace Fernandinho

This summer, one player will have the unenviable task of having to fill the boots of Fernandinho.

During his 383 appearances for Manchester City, the Brazilian became a favourite among supporters. His gritty and determined nature was bound to make him popular on the pitch, but behind the scenes, his wonderful personality endeared him to his colleagues.

Even this season, when his appearances in the first team began to dry up, Guardiola was still singing the midfielder's praises. At the end of last year, Pep raved about the City legend: "He is an incredible captain that we have because he didn’t play much this season because Rodri has been exceptional.

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"He always tries to help the team, the guys who don’t play, myself, the staff. He is so generous. He is just thinking about what the team need and what is best for the team. This is a real captain, when they always think about what is best for the team and the club.

"That is why he is so generous when he doesn’t play and when he plays, he always plays good. We will need him because we have many games and Rodri cannot play all season, it is impossible."

This lavish praise from Guardiola portrays the image of a footballer who is hard to replace. N'Golo Kante has been handed similar compliments previously, but the likelihood of him leaving Chelsea seems slim. Fortunately, there is another Premier League player who holds similar qualities in abundance.

Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips was absent for much of his side's season due to injury and it is no surprise that his absence coincided with his boyhood club's drop down the table. One of Pep's inspirations, Marcelo