It seems to be only a matter of time before the return of Ilkay Gundogan to Manchester City is confirmed. Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday that a deal was complete to bring Gundogan back to the Etihad. But does the return of a club legend mean that Portuguese midfielder Matheus Nunes is now surplus to requirements? It’s hard to see what role Nunes will play this season with Ilkay Gundogan coming into Pep Guardiola’s squad.
Matheus Nunes has failed to make a mark at Manchester City. He has the talent to succeed at City, but so far, he’s been on the periphery of proceedings at the club. That’s not a knock on Nunes as a player but an honest assessment of his time at the club to date. When the return of Ilkay Gundogan is confirmed it appears that opportunities to impress may be fleeting for the Portuguese midfielder.
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Pep Guardiola will be blessed with a host of quality options when Gundogan’s return to the club is confirmed. The German international will slot into a midfield that contains Mateo Kovacic, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Matheus Nunes and Rodri as options for the City manager. There is no shortage of quality for Pep Guardiola to choose from in that list of players. But where does Nunes exactly fit into the equation? That’s hard to tell based on his displays for Manchester City to date.
Perhaps the challenge to break into Pep Guardiola’s lineup may bring out the best in Nunes. The arrival of Gundogan may be the trigger for Nunes to make his mark. That could always happen. Competition for places usually brings out the best in players. But Nunes will face an uphill battle to take the place of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted players. But the challenge is there for the Portuguese international if he can prove he is up to it. Nunes may also get his chances to impress given that City are likely to play 60-70 games this season. Squad rotation will be key for Manchester City this season so perhaps that is another opportunity for Nunes to play this season.
But the fact remains that is hard to see where Matheus Nunes fits into Manchester City’s squad with the impending arrival of Ilkay Gundogan. Whether or not he remains at the club to embrace the challenge ahead or moves on in the final days of the transfer window will be interesting to see unfold.
