Manchester City fans who watched England struggle and eventually succumb to defeat at the hands of ten-man France last night will have feared the worst when much-reported transfer target Benjamin Mendy limped off with injury in the 20th minute.
Acquiring top-class full-backs will clearly be high on Pep Guardiola’s agenda this summer after releasing three of the four he inherited from Manuel Pellegrini – not least because much of his brand of scintillating attacking football hinges on forward-thinking quality from the defensive flanks – and Mendy has been billed as an impending arrival.
Although it has not been suggested Mendy’s injury is serious enough to stop a move going ahead, an obvious alternative emerged following his withdrawal last night should that be the case – Monaco and France team-mate Djibril Sidibe. He was also part of the Monaco side that shocked Europe to lift the Ligue 1 title and reach a Champions League semi-final last season, dazzling on the opposite side of the backline to the City target – though the 24-year-old has played at both right-back and left-back throughout his career.
Despite it still being early days for Sidibe on the international stage, picking up ten caps since his debut after last summer’s European Championship, he was an integral cog in France’s impressive 3-2 win over the Three Lions, perhaps highlighted best by the fact he finished up with 70 touches of the ball – the third most of any player on the pitch.
Additionally, the Monaco ace made telling contributions at both ends. As well as reaping the benefits of an excellent jinking run and shot from Ousmane Dembele to put home the rebound and his country 2-1 ahead just before half time, Sidibe finished up with one cross, two successful dribbles, one chance created, four fouls won and five tackles (the most of any player on the pitch) to his name.
It’s that kind of dynamic servitude, weighing in both with and without the ball, Guardiola desperately needs at the Etihad Stadium this season to turn his fourth-placed side into Premier League champions. Should last night’s injury scupper Mendy’s reportedly all-but-confirmed transfer to Manchester this summer, the Citizens won’t have to look far to find a likeminded replacement.
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