Two Man City exits might force Pep Guardiola to change formation

There is no doubt that Manchester City will miss Raheem Sterling.

On Wednesday the news broke that the City and England winger has agreed to personal terms with Chelsea, with the two clubs close to agreeing a final transfer fee expected to be around £45m. The move will bring about the end of Sterling's glorious seven-year spell in Manchester, during which he won four Premier League titles, four League Cups, one FA Cup and appeared in one Champions League final. He should be regarded as a City legend.

Sterling is not the only attacker to leave Pep Guardiola's side this summer. Earlier this week Gabriel Jesus completed a £45m move to Arsenal, meaning that City will go into the new season without two of their three regular right wing options of last term.

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Filling their spots in Guardiola's squad are Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, two young strikers who will no doubt give City a central attacking presence they sometimes lacked last season.

But if strikers were something City's squad was light on last season, it could be wingers that are in short supply this term. In 2021/22 City had five wingers (six if you include Cole Palmer) and no strikers, whereas in 2022/23 it looks like they'll have four (including Palmer, who Guardiola plans to utilise more) and two strikers.

Three senior, experienced wingers in a team using a 4-3-3 system seems a little lightweight, but City's business suggests that a change of system could be on the horizon, at least in some of City's games.

Towards the end of last season City often played with a double midfield pivot, with their shape — when in possession — looking more like a 4-2-3-1 than 4-3-3.