Pep Guardiola transfer misstep: Five worst signings at Manchester City
Manchester City Head coach, Pep Guardiola. Photo Credit- Agency Report/Punch Online
Since Pep Guardiola took the helm at Manchester City in 2016, he has transformed the club into a global football juggernaut, securing six Premier League titles, a Champions League crown, and multiple domestic cups through a blend of tactical genius and astute recruitment. With a squad boasting a €1.35 billion market value, per Transfermarkt, and signings like Erling Haaland, Rodri, and Bernardo Silva thriving, Guardiola’s transfer record is enviable. However, even the greatest manager of the modern era isn’t immune to mistakes. A Transfermarkt report highlighting costly attacking signings underscores the risks of the transfer market, and while City’s hits far outweigh their misses, some acquisitions have fallen short of expectations. Drawing on insights from Sports Mole, and The Hard Tackle, this piece is set to explore the five worst signings under Guardiola at Manchester City, and why they flopped, their financial impact, and what these missteps reveal about the challenges of building a dynasty.
Jack Grealish (€117.5m, 2021)
Jack Grealish’s €117.5 million move from Aston Villa in 2021 made him the most expensive English player in history, but his time at Manchester City has been a costly disappointment, costing €2.9 million per goal contribution (40 across 157 games). Expected to bring flair and creativity, Grealish shone briefly during City’s 2022-23 treble, contributing to their Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League triumphs. However, his output; 17 goals and 23 assists is nowhere near his price tag, and off-field issues, including heavy drinking during celebrations, strained his relationship with Guardiola. By January 2025, his exclusion from the Club World Cup squad signaled the end, culminating in a loan move to Everton. With his market value now at €28 million, Grealish’s transfer is a stark reminder that even Guardiola’s system can’t always unlock a player’s potential.
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Benjamin Mendy (€57.5m, 2017)
Signed from AS Monaco for €57.5 million in 2017, Benjamin Mendy was heralded as the ideal attacking left-back for Guardiola’s system, fresh off Monaco’s Ligue 1 title. His pace and crossing ability promised to elevate City’s flanks, but injuries derailed his career almost immediately. A knee injury sidelined him for much of his first season, and he never regained consistent form, making just 61 appearances over four years. Off-field controversies, including allegations of rape and sexual assault (of which he was cleared in 2023), further marred his tenure, leading to his suspension in 2021 and departure in 2023. With a market value of €4 million by the time he left, Mendy’s signing was a financial and tactical failure, costing City heavily for minimal return.[]()
Claudio Bravo (€18m, 2016)
Guardiola’s bold decision to replace Joe Hart with Claudio Bravo in 2016 was meant to usher in his ball-playing philosophy, but the €18 million signing from Barcelona proved a costly miscalculation. The Chilean goalkeeper, lauded for his distribution and role in Barcelona’s 2014-15 treble, struggled with the Premier League’s intensity. High-profile errors, including blunders against Manchester United and in the Champions League, saw him concede 26 goals in 22 Premier League starts, with only six clean sheets. Replaced by Ederson in 2017, Bravo remained a backup until 2020, contributing to domestic cups but never justifying his role as a starter. His market value dropped to €1 million by his exit, marking him as one of Guardiola’s most criticized signings.
Kalvin Phillips (€45m, 2022)
Kalvin Phillips arrived from Leeds United for €45 million in 2022 as England’s Player of the Year, expected to bolster City’s midfield with his tenacity and passing. However, the move was a baffling mismatch, with Phillips managing just 911 minutes over 18 months and six starts in the Premier League. Guardiola’s public criticism of Phillips’ weight post-2022 World Cup and his admission of regret—“I feel so sorry for my decision for him”—underscored the signing’s failure. Loan spells at West Ham and elsewhere followed, with his market value plummeting to €15 million. Despite five trophies, Phillips’ lack of integration into Guardiola’s system, especially with Rodri dominating the pivot, made this a perplexing and expensive error.
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Nolito (€18m, 2016)
Nolito’s €18 million transfer from Celta Vigo in 2016 was one of Guardiola’s first at City, banking on the Spaniard’s 25 goals and 20 assists over two La Liga seasons. Familiar from Barcelona’s reserves, Nolito was expected to add flair to City’s attack, but his single season at the Etihad was a flop. Scoring four goals and providing two assists in 19 Premier League appearances, he struggled to adapt to England’s pace and physicality, often playing second fiddle to Leroy Sané. Off-field complaints about Manchester’s weather and its impact on his daughter’s skin drew unwanted attention. Sold to Sevilla in 2017 at a loss, Nolito’s brief stint, with a market value of €5 million by his exit, epitomized Guardiola’s early transfer struggles.
Conclusion
These five signings, totaling €256 million, stand out as rare blemishes on Guardiola’s otherwise stellar recruitment record at Manchester City. The 2024-25 season, marked by a third-place Premier League finish and a dismal run of one win in 13 matches, exposed vulnerabilities exacerbated by these missteps, particularly with injuries like Rodri’s ACL tear. Grealish and Phillips highlight the risks of banking on potential without clear tactical fit, while Mendy and Bravo underscore the challenges of adapting to Guardiola’s demanding system. Nolito’s failure reflects the difficulty of transitioning from La Liga to the Premier League. Yet, as posts on social media note, City’s successes with Haaland, Ederson, and others show Guardiola’s hits far outweigh his misses. As Manchester City rebuild with signings like Tijjani Reijnders and Ryan Cherki, these costly lessons remind us that even the best managers can’t always predict the alchemy of transfers.
