Man City number one transfer rule that is under increasing threat

As might be expected, Manchester City have an extensive recruitment team.

There are scouts, analysts, and more talent-spotters around the world working to help the Blues get the best available players and there are many important factors that go into weighing up whether or not a prospective signing is deemed worth going for. For the last nine years though, staff involved in identifying targets have had a very simple message from sporting director Txiki Begiristain.

The Blueprint, a new book charting City's rise to the top of world football, tells how Begiristain has been stressing the most important characteristic that potential signings need to have. "The number one thing we need is players with great ball control," he has told staff for years. "Pep can teach the rest."

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Begiristain is leaving City at the end of this season with a reputation as one of the best sporting directors in the game, with his work at the Etihad since 2012 a major factor in delivering every possible trophy to the club in a golden era. Guardiola has attributed 70 per cent of the overall success to the work put in by the recruitment team.

City are replacing Begiristain with Hugo Viana, who has an impressive CV from his time at Sporting in the Portuguese league but does not have the history and experience that his predecessor does to be able to identify the perfect players for Guardiola. If that threatens City's continued success in the transfer market, the Blues are also well aware that Guardiola's time at the club is coming to an end.

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