Manchester City are going to be active in the transfer market in order to replace their ageing stars and close the gap between ourselves and them.
That is according to their manager Pep Guardiola, whose City outfit could go 26 points behind Liverpool tonight in the clash at the Etihad.
David Silva could leave this summer as he has still not penned an extension, while Vincent Kompany exited last year and left a significant hole in their defence.
On top of that, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho only have one more year left and are both well into their thirties already.
“It’s not for the lack of quality but for the absence of Vinny and David,” Pep said, reported in the M.E.N. “Dinho and Sergio have one year left, but I don’t know if they will extend or not.
“Some players have to be replaced. But it’s not a disaster thing, or bad thing, it’s part of football for the age, for the normal situation and circumstances.
“It happens in other clubs and players who are considered important players for the club decide to leave. They don’t want to be here – and that was the case for Jadon Sancho and Leroy (Sane), especially Leroy because Jadon Sancho was in the academy.
“We cannot do anything else, as a club, if guys don’t want to stay. They have to leave, we are not getting the best of these players if in their mind they are not happy here.
“This is the first thing and the second is with the age. But it happened and we have to rebuild it. It happens at clubs around the world, you never can be eternal, and we have to accept it and try to take the right decisions as a club to try to maintain the level that we have.”
It’s an interesting sign that players like Leroy Sane are leaving City, while all Liverpool’s stars are fully intent on staying.
In years gone by, our best footballers search for pastures new after making a name for themselves, but those days are gone.
Jurgen Klopp is not going to be active in the transfer market – unlike City – but he believes his current set of players can continue to win things for another year – and he’s quite possibly right.
Who would best against a side with our defence, frontline and the ever-improving midfield to continue doing the business – providing most stay fit?