3 possible replacements for Fernandinho at Manchester City

Pep Guardiola has one of the best squads in the world at his disposal. Last season, Manchester City won two trophies - the Premier League trophy, and the Carabao Cup trophy. They are the favourites to win the league again this season. However, their target will also be winning the Champions League trophy.

Guardiola has world class players in every position. The key players in his tiki-taka playing system are surely the midfield players. The first choices for 3 midfield positions are Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva, and Fernandinho. The weakest link in his squad is the defensive midfield position which is occupied by Fernandinho at the moment.

The Brazilian midfielder is 33 years old, and he can't play many more years at the highest level. Guardiola is well aware of this fact and he has already started looking for a replacement.

This summer, Guardiola wanted to sign Jorginho from Napoli, but Jorginho decided to follow his erstwhile manager Maurizio Sarri, so he went to London to play for Chelsea. In a very short period, Jorginho has become one of the most important players in Sarri's squad.

Guardiola must now look for other players available on the market. Lets take a look at three defensive midfielders Manchester City should target to replace Fernandinho.

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#3 Julian Weigl (Borussia Dortmund)

Julian Weigl

Weigl who already has more than 170 appearances in his club career at the age of 23, certainly fits the profile of a classic Pep Guardiola midfielder. Rather than playing like an old-school defensive midfielder, Weigl is part of a new breed of midfielders.

He is less rampaging, and has more intelligent positioning, not too dissimilar to Sergio Busquets at Barcelona. Like the Spanish midfielder, Weigl is tall and slim. Weigl instead uses intelligent positioning to influence the game from midfield.

He is a fine player with a high ceiling for future development, and he has so many stylistic qualities that would improve the Catalan's side.

#2 Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Ruben Neves: Many of Europe’s top teams will be all over him in the next summer window

The Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves was definitely the star of the Championship last season. Neves is an amazing passer, press resistant, and a powerful player. He is comfortable at picking the ball up from the back four, is comfortable playing with the ball on the edge of the opposition box, and dictates games with ease.

He isn't a "box to box" midfielder in the traditional sense, but he's not immobile either. He has an unbelievable eye for a pass which neither the fans or the opposition see coming.

His long-range shooting would be excellent for Manchester City as well, against deep defensive blocks. His ability to make space for himself, even under severe pressure is reminiscent of Scholes. His value is only going to go up in the future.

#1 Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)

A tremendous talent

Pep Guardiola's first wish for this position should be Frenkie de Jong, another exceptional talent from the Ajax academy. The 21-year-old Dutchman is much more than a defensive midfielder. He is a generational talent who has a very bright future ahead of him.

He is so calm on the ball, barely makes mistakes, and perfectly fits into Pep Guardiola's type of midfield. His passing skills are gorgeous, and he also has the ability to break opposition defences with his movement and dribbling.

Many top European teams are interested in signing him, and it will be a huge battle for his signature. Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, Frenkie de Jong could become one of the most enjoyable players to watch. Most importantly, he could be Manchester City's defensive midfielder for the next decade, and that's why Guardiola should splash the cash on this kid.