Manuel Akanji has helped Man City replace something they thought they lost

There weren't many complaints about Manchester City's transfer window and why would there be?

If it was only Eriling Haaland brought in then City still would have enjoyed a remarkable summer and stood themselves in good stead to claim plenty of silverware in the coming years. But the Norwegian wasn't alone in joining the club. He was followed by Argentine prodigy Julian Alvarez, England hero Kalvin Phillips, promising left-back Sergio Gomez, assured defender Manuel Akanji and goalkeeper back-up Stefan Ortega.

It's a rarity that the Blues sign so many players in a single window, but Pep Guardiola took the step to considerably shake up his squad and rejuvenate to keep things fresh and motivation high. With so many incomings, outgoings had to happen as well.

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As a result, four stars that played a significant part in City's success over the past five years left the club to usher in a new era. Captain Fernandinho left of his own accord upon the expiration of his contract, while Raheem Sterling left for Chelsea and Gabriel Jesus and Aleks Zinchenko both headed for Arsenal.

Not only had City lost four quality players and four big characters but they lost a whole lot of options, too. Instead of saying goodbye to two wingers, a defensive midfielder and a left-back they lost at least double that amount of positions thanks to the versatility of each player.

Guardiola likes to keep his squads small, smaller than most. About 18 senior outfield players supplemented with promising talent from the academy. To be able to operate with such a small group without it backfiring when the toils of a season inevitably make an impact, he has to ensure that the vast majority of those players are