Pep is changing Man City. No, not that Pep.

Man City had plenty to do this summer. After a poor season by their standards, new sporting director Hugo Viana was always going to need to bring players in. But there was one key signing Viana was always going to have absolutely nothing to do. There was one big change that the manager wanted to decide purely on his own.

“Maybe there are discussions about the players that the club needs to buy and the club takes a decision in front of you and you have to accept it”, Guardiola told Sky Sports a year ago. “But the guy you work with? He has to be so close. You have to decide. It cannot be imposed from anyone else.

“I do not want someone who is just going to agree with everything. I need a guy to push me, to challenge me intellectually. I need guys close to me who can help me to be a better manager for our players and make me see things that I am not able to see.”