Since Sheikh Mansour’s momentous takeover, Manchester City have constructed one of the finest squads in world football.
The likes of Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero have taken the Blues to countless titles and trophies over the past decade.
But as they methodically built their way up to the top, not every new signing that arrived at the Etihad Stadium ended up with legendary status – or even anywhere close to it for that matter.
There have been some expensive failures, and woebegone flops along the way, and we at MEN Sport decided to pick out the ten worst, in our opinion.
10.Fernando – the Brazilian midfielder looked like the answer on his debut, strong, decisive and sensing danger well. But that was his best performance – he was never going to be a good fit for Manuel Pellegrini or Pep Guardiola.
9.Nolito – the Spaniard was a left-field signing by Guardiola in his first summer at the club, but even at less than £14million it was a risk that didn’t pay. He hated Manchester and after a bright start of six goals in 11 games he faded badly.
8. Roque Santa Cruz – after all his injury troubles at Blackburn, paying out a big fee of £17million always looked like a Mark Hughes gamble with someone else’s money. Injury and poor form plagued him, and Roberto Mancini had little patience – he left after 24 games.
7. Javi Garcia – billed as a more mobile alternative to Nigel de Jong, it became apparent that his passing was not good enough for Manuel Pellegrini’s sharp team. For £16million, he did not have enough.
6. Emmanuel Adebayor – looked like a top-class, statement signing when he arrived, and his goal celebration in front of the Arsenal fans redeems him for many City supporters. But he hung around for three years, played 34 times and scored 15 goals, all for £25million.
Emmanuel Adebayor had a brief flare of brilliance and then faded quickly
5. Stevan Jovetic – easy to forget he was the marquee £22million signing in a summer when Fernandinho, Navas, Negredo and Demichelis also arrived. Repeatedly missing through injury, he scored 11 goals in 44 games and then departed.
4. Scott Sinclair – impressed against City for Swansea, but made just two starts in a three-year stay and never looked like he was good enough for the Blues.
3. Jack Rodwell – Two years, 16 appearances, a million hamstring injuries. It was hard not to feel sympathy for the former Everton midfielder, but his stay at City was a complete shambles.
2. Eliaquim Mangala – Toss up for number one. He cost around £42million, a world record for a defender and after a promising debut descended into a bundle of nerves. Had a brief good spell under Guardiola, but for the money, he was a disaster.
1. Wilfried Bony – if ever there was a square peg in a round hole, it was the beefy Ivorian. Cut a startled figure as Pellegrini’s brisk passing team.
