Man City's top five signing from the last five seasons ranked
Manchester City have made 28 signings in the past five seasons. These players have all contributed to the City's success, especially the historic treble last season, making them the best club in World football.
This article is based on my opinion, here at Man City Square, on who the five best signings out of those 28 are. I've considered the players' stats, price, and importance to the squad in deciding which players made the list.
Top Five Signings In The Last Five Seasons - Ranked
5. Julian Alvarez
Julián Álvarez signed for Manchester City in 2022 for around 20 million euros from River Plate at 22 years old. Álvarez has spent one season with the Cityzens, scoring 33 goals and getting 18 assists for City. Álvarez has been mainly used as a second-choice striker behind Erling Haaland but also played behind Haaland and on the wing.
He has a very diverse game and scores from open play and set-pieces. Álvarez brings a lot to the table with his pace, dribbling and shooting and has consistently been a handful for teams to play against.
4. Nathan Aké
In fourth place is our Dutch defender, Nathan Aké. City signed Aké for 45 million euros from Bournemouth in 2020 as a backup centre back to strengthen our backline. While it took a couple of seasons for Aké to impact the City squad, he has been a valuable defensive asset.
His pace helps support wingers when attacking, and he is a threat in the box during corners. He is also a versatile player for City due to his ability to play left-back, a position he excelled in last season.
3. Erling Haaland
Whilst this is the most shocking ranking on the list, in the past five seasons, Erling Haaland is the 3rd best signing we have made. Despite only being in the Premier League for one season, Haaland has been a force to be reckoned with, scoring 44 league goals in 57 games. The Sky Blues signed the 'Striking Viking' from Borussia Dortmund in Germany for 60 million euros.
Haaland has been an invaluable asset for City since signing and is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in football today. His strength, pace and shooting make him a force up top, and his anticipation of where the ball will be is a skill only a few players have.
2. Rúben Dias
Manchester City's biggest weakness after losing Vincent Kompany was that our defence wasn't good enough, but then came Rúben Dias to save us. City signed Dias for around 70 million euros from Benfica in 2020, proving that he was worth every penny since his first day.
Dias has been the heart of our defence and a leader in the squad since City announced him. His strength and knowledge of the beautiful game have made him one of the best centre-backs in the world. When we play without Dias, it is clear that our defence does not look as solid.
manual
1. Rodri
Finally, we have had our number-one signing in the past five years, Rodri. Rodri signed for City from Atlético de Madrid in 2019 for 70 million euros to be our replacement for Yaya Touré. Rodri has proven in recent years that he is the best CDM in the world and one of the most important players within our city squad.
City's team seems to depend on Rodri in games and suffers when he doesn't play, with all of City's losses this season being when Rodri was not playing. Rodri has also recently set a new record in the Premier League by going 59 games unbeaten. He has strength, can drive the ball forward and is excellent at passing; he is also a decent goalscorer, especially from outside the box, with 24 goals and 26 assists for City. He has also emerged as a leader in the changing room and has become a fan favourite at the Etihad.
These factors have made Man City Square rank Rodri as Manchester City's best signing of the past five seasons.