There may be a feeling at Manchester City that all will be well again once Ballon d'Or winner Rodri makes his return from injury, with the Spaniard believed to pushing to feature again this season, despite having looked all but certain to be ruled out for the campaign.
That said, do the problems lie deeper than just missing the influential Spaniard? Is there more to the story than merely the midfield void that the 28-year-old has left?
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Unquestionably, the loss of the former Atletico Madrid man - who Pep Guardiola described as "irreplaceable" - has been a key factor in the club's recent slump, although the Citizens have not been helped by the woes of a string of other first-team stars.
Indeed, last season's PFA Player of the Year, Phil Foden, has scored just seven goals and provided only two assists in the Premier League to date. Bernardo Silva - who was off the pace against Nottingham Forest last time out - has just six goal involvements to his name in the top flight.
Those creative midfield woes are a stark indication of the club's decline this season, with Kevin De Bruyne perhaps epitomising that drop-off best.
Kevin De Bruyne's Man City decline
All good things come to an end, and - on current form - it looks as if the Belgian's storied Man City career is reaching its climax, with just a matter of months remaining on his existing deal.
Arguably the "greatest" Premier League midfielder of all-time, in the words of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, the former Wolfsburg man has been central to everything good about the Guardiola era, racking up a staggering haul of 280 goals and assists for the club since his arrival back in 2015.
Having set such lofty standards in a side that romped to six league titles in the space of just seven seasons, the now 33-year-old has, perhaps unsurprisingly, regressed in what could prove to be his final campaign at the Etihad.
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A return of four goals and seven assists in all competitions in 2024/25 follows what was an impactful, yet injury-hit 2023/24 season, in which the veteran registered 24 goal contributions despite only making 26 appearances.
Perhaps suffering after playing through the pain in the treble-winning season, which culminated in his early withdrawal in the Champions League final, the one-time Chelsea man - who is worth just £22m, according to Football Transfers - appears to have come to the end of the road regardless.
A move to Saudi Arabia or the MLS now appears on the cards, although De Bruyne may not be alone in moving on this summer, with experienced teammate Mateo Kovacic perhaps another in need of a fresh start elsewhere.
Man City could cash in on Yaya Toure 2.0
In the absence of Rodri, Guardiola was in need of a suitable short-term solution to plug the gap, having ultimately settled on Kovacic in that deep-lying role, prior to Nico Gonzalez's late arrival in the winter window.
The Croatian has, unfortunately, been exposed in that midfield berth far too often, however, with the Guardian's Jamie Jackson noting after the 4-1 defeat to Sporting CP that he 'lacked the poise and control Rodri applies'.
The £150k-per-week asset's strengths do lie in possession, as he ranks in the top 1% among his European peers for pass completion, although he can be caught out defensively, ranking in just the bottom 10% for aerial duels won and the bottom 11% for clearances.
Kovacic vs Europe's top midfielders
Stat
Non-penalty goals
Assists
Shot-creating actions
Pass completion
Progressive passes
Progressive carries
Touches in opposition box
Tackles
Interceptions
Clearances
Aerial duels won
Stats via FBref
The 30-year-old's defensive woes are also laid bare by the fact that he has been dribbled past 1.2 times per game in the league this season, showcasing that lack of athleticism. Indeed, that is only just behind Manchester United's ageing midfielder, Casemiro, who has been dribbled past 1.3 times per game.
The decision to sign the ex-Chelsea man on a free transfer had initially looked like good business, with Micah Richards even comparing him to club legend Yaya Toure for his ability to progress the ball, with the defender-turned-pundit stating back in 2023:
“I think losing Gundogan is massive but bringing in Kovacic is a masterstroke. He’s a different player in terms of when he’s dribbling. Gundogan would open up a game in terms of pass, pass, forward run, whereas Kovacic can beat three players with his skill and the way he drives past midfielders. I don’t think City have had that for a while, even going back to like Yaya. I think Kovacic is massive.”
Sadly, the one-time Real Madrid man hasn't been able to live up to such lofty comparisons, with it perhaps wise to consider whether the club should try and make a profit on the player, considering he is deemed to be worth £27m, according to Football Transfers.
The subject of fan frustration following the Champions League defeat to Madrid at the Etihad, Kovacic could find himself out the door alongside De Bruyne, with Caught Offside reporting last month that the club are open to the idea of selling the midfielder at the end of the campaign, with Atletico Madrid seemingly showing interest.
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As Caught Offside stated, that sale would be part of the 'squad evolution' that is set to continue this summer, with the time having come for Guardiola and co to fashion a new-look, youthful side who can go again in the bid to claim major honours.
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