Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Manchester City has already made some decent signings in Fernandinho and Jesus Navas, but that was not enough. Now, two slightly better known names have been added to their star-studded roster — Alvaro Negredo and Stefan Jovetic.
Negredo is a Spanish international striker who has plied his trade at Sevilla since 2009 where he scored 70 goals in 139 appearances. He is tall, fast, has some skill and has exactly what City needs: a nose for goal. He is the second Spanish signing of the summer for City after Navas.
Joining the Premier League at the age of 27 is a decent time to do so — he still has a ways to go before he reaches his peak. Also, he never won a league title in the La Liga, which means that he is hungry for that type of success. He will automatically enter the starting line-up along with Sergio Aguero if coach Manuel Pellegrini chooses the 4-4-2, 4-4-2 diamond or 4-3-3.
Jovetic is a Montenegrin international who has stolen many hearts in Italy’s Serie A with Fiorentina. He plays in an attacking-midfield/striking role and always seems to have a trick up his sleeve. He has appeared 116 times for the club from Florence and has scored 35 goals. This is not the best scoring record, but he is more of a team player, which is what City needs. He will be competing alongside David Silva to create more opportunities in the final third.
The reality is this: with these new signings, City will be a better team over time. Expecting these guys to mesh with their new teammates right away will be asking a bit too much. Therefore, Pellegrini needs to balance out the playing time in each of the competitions and gamble with different starting line-ups. Maybe by doing all of that, City can win back their title from Manchester United.
