Manchester City Fan View: New contracts point to a well-run operations behind the scenes

Manchester City are currently playing some of the best football that the Premier League has ever seen. The Blues have scored 56 goals in the league this term – an average of over 3 goals per game – and have conceded the fewest number of goals in the division, with just 12 goals let in. Only Manchester United and Burnley have conceded the same amount.

City are the only team still capable of winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup, and are the bookies’ favourites to win every single competition.

The key to their success has been a marked improvement in investment in the transfer market, with more intelligent decisions made by the club’s executives, as well as the impressive coaching of Pep Guardiola, which has galvanised the City squad into a complete unit.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Guardiola is the vast improvements that he has made to the quality of individual players on a personal, micro level, not just to the team as a whole on a more macro level.

READ MORE: Man City manager Pep Guardiola under police investigation

Not only has the Spanish coach enhanced the abilities of raw, young stars such as Ederson, John Stones, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus, but he has also taken already existing top class talent to the next level.

Nicolas Otamendi, Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero have all had a noticeable buff in quality. Even Fabian Delph, a relatively bit-part player under the previous manager Manuel Pellegrini, has shone in his reestablishment as a left full back.

The Citizens’ biggest rivals are at threat of losing some of their most pivotal players, with the likes of Philippe Coutinho touted with a move to Barcelona, Alexis Sanchez catching the eye of Paris Saint-Germain, and Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane and Dele Alli on everyone’s radar.

Meanwhile, City have recently tied down Fernandinho, De Bruyne, David Silva and Sterling to new deals, with Jesus and Sane set to sign next. The emphasis in recent transfer windows has been to recruit youthful talents who have the potential to make an immediate impact, yet still have the ability to further improve.

The key now is to ensure that the current crop of City stars does not disband any time soon; they must be kept together in order to grow and develop alongside one another and perhaps soon, they will establish themselves as one of the best footballing outfits in world football – one of the true elite for years to come.