Manchester City could face rebuilding in the summer after winning the treble for the first time in its history.
A week before the Champions League final, Manchester City looked to the future.
The celebrations are over (for now) and the players are on their way to international competition. Pep Guardiola gets some well-deserved rounds of golf.
Back home, and it seems the transfer rumors have run at full capacity. Last week, five senior City players were linked with a departure, while the three big names interested in the Blues are Declan Rice, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic.
Among those linked with a departure, Ilkay Gundogan has yet to sign a new contract, Kyle Walker is said to be in talks with Bayern Munich and Bernardo Silva could be looking to leave for a third consecutive summer.
There were many interesting aspects to City's Champions League final victory, including Guardiola's introduction of four centre-backs and only one winger, Jack Grealish. Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden are on the bench, as are Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte. If you told a Man City fan that these players would start off the bench in the Champions League final, with Nathan Ake, Manu Akanji and Jack Grealish starting, you would be laughed out of the room. But that is the nature of Guardiola's ever-changing squad, and the departure of Joao Cancelo is the beginning of the departure of full-backs. Cancelo has begun to reverse roles, Rico Lewis takes it, and the Stones takes it on another level. Suddenly the Stones were effectively playing at number eight in the Champions League final and running the show.
It would be a pity if Stones did not continue that journey after performing so well in the dual role of defender - midfield, leading the midfield against big players like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. If Gundogan has to go, his replacement from the outside will need time to adapt to Guardiola's system. Stones illustrated at the end of the campaign that he's all in control and can help lessen the impact of losing someone as indispensable as Gundogan.
Likewise, while Foden was not picked in the big games last season, the final phase of the campaign could be the most important of his career. With Grealish and Bernardo locked on both sides, Foden has the opportunity to develop in the midfield role.
The FA Cup is a way for Foden to learn the position Guardiola has long wanted but has previously said he lacks awareness of the position and tactics for that position. One measure of Foden's progress in this respect is to send him into the Champions League final as a direct replacement for the injured Kevin De Bruyne, keep Bernardo wide and let Foden play his biggest game of the season. His life is in the middle. If the Stones can help take on some of the Gundogan's defensive responsibilities, then Foden can help take on some of the offensive responsibilities.
So no matter who comes or goes this summer, Guardiola knows he has two world-class midfielders ready to keep moving next season that they won't cost a dime.
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