Eleven players who defined Guardiola's Man City era
Ilkay Gundogan was Pep Guardiola's first signing as Manchester City manager, joining from German club Borussia Dortmund in 2016. The midfielder quickly became a pivotal player during his seven seasons in Manchester, bringing composure, balance and precision to the heart of midfield. The ultimate unsung hero.
The German led from the front as captain in 2023 as Guardiola's side won the Treble, signing off with a stunning volley against rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final before lifting the Champions League trophy. Trophies under Guardiola: Premier League (6), Champions League (1), FA Cup (2), EFL Cup (4), Uefa Super Cup (1), Club World Cup (1) The £45m fee Manchester City paid to acquire full-back Kyle Walker from Tottenham in 2017 raised many an eyebrow, though the England international would go on to be a stalwart of the Guardiola era. His trademark speedy runs from right-back added an extra dimension in attack while his lightning-quick recovery pace proved key in quelling danger at the back.
Another leader in the dressing room for all six Premier League title wins under Guardiola, Walker wore the armband as the side clinched a record-breaking fourth consecutive crown in 2024. Trophies under Guardiola: Premier League (2), FA Cup (1), EFL Cup (3) Individual honours: PFA Team of the Year x2, Statue at Etihad Stadium Fresh off the back of winning the 2010 World Cup with Spain, David Silva swapped Valencia for Manchester, becoming the club's biggest statement signing since the 2008 takeover. He spent a decade at City, first under Roberto Mancini, then Manuel Pellegrini, before playing the role of creative spark for Pep Guardiola in his final four seasons, during which his manager hailed him as "one of the greats".
Silva recorded 93 assists during his stay in the Premier League, more than anybody else across that time, and seventh on the all-time charts. Regarded by fans as the greatest to ever play for the club, 'El Mago' or 'the magician' is one of three modern greats to have a statue marking his contributions outside Etihad Stadium. Trophies under Guardiola: Premier League (6), Champions League (1), FA Cup (2), EFL Cup (4), Uefa Super Cup (1), Club World Cup (1) Individual honours: Premier League Golden Glove x3, PFA Team of the Year x2, Fifa Best men's goalkeeper 2023 Shortly after arriving in Manchester, Pep Guardiola made headlines when he replaced England number one Joe Hart with Claudio Bravo.
His reason? He wanted a goalkeeper who was good with his feet. While Bravo was not a success, Guardiola got it right second time around when he signed Ederson from Benfica the following summer.