Continuity key for Guardiola as Premier League dominance comes under threat

MANCHESTER, England : Coach Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City team have raised the bar to unparalleled heights during their four successive title-winning seasons, but a quiet transfer window and the likely departure of a vital cog leaves them more susceptible than ever.
While rivals have splashed the cash on plenty of talented fresh faces, City have brought in young winger Savinho from French club Troyes as their only major signing of the close season so far.
Keeping hold of players who have been pivotal to Guardiola’s success in England have been as crucial as any new arrival, with playmaker Kevin De Bruyne set to stay put, after the Belgian midfielder was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.
Versatile forward Julian Alvarez, one of City’s standout stars from last season’s title-winning campaign, does look like he may depart, however, with British media reports claiming a record sale has been agreed with Atletico Madrid.
“Of course, until the last day, we have chances (to make transfers), I don’t rule out the option to have new players but I think there is an 85-90 per cent chance we will have the same squad,” Guardiola said last month.
“I feel comfortable, because the quality of human beings we have in the squad is difficult to be replaced, and the quality is there.
“But we’ll see, I don’t know in the last moment if someone comes for some players and they leave, we’re going to decide.”
Alvarez’s potential exit may force City’s hand, otherwise they face going into the new campaign in pursuit of a fifth successive league crown with little cover for Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland up front.
Haaland has continued to find the net in pre-season, scoring a hat-trick in a recent City friendly victory over Chelsea, but other results have been disappointing, with one draw and two losses during the tour of the United States.
Then there is the added distraction of Premier League charges over alleged breaches of financial rules during the ownership of billionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan still looming over them. City deny any wrongdoing and are contesting the charges.
Uncertainty over Guardiola’s future, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season, is also not going away.
The Spaniard said after City’s title success in May that he was “closer to leaving than staying”, with no indication his contract will be extended.
The club are keen to see the man who has won 15 major titles since arriving at City surpass 10 years in Manchester. For now, in what could be his final season, the former Barcelona boss has plenty to ponder.