Fernandinho Is Txiki Begiristain’s Great Manchester City Signing

Prior to this summer, which was a success in the eyes of most Manchester City supporters, Txiki Begiristain’s record as sporting director was being seriously questioned.

Having taken the role in October 2012 in a blaze of publicity, things hadn’t gone quite as planned. The man who signed Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry and David Villa during his time at Barcelona had failed to secure the same calibre of player in his role at the Etihad Stadium.

His record could be best described as hit-and-miss. Eliaquim Mangala will perhaps always be the symbol of his profligacy, a player who cost a vast sum but ultimately proved flawed.

Mangala had the physical requirements, which is what Begiristain is likely to have been impressed with when he watched him during his days at FC Porto, but his inability to read the game meant he couldn’t find consistency in the Premier League. He joined Valencia on a season-long loan in the summer.

However, the signing of Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 was a masterstroke. He cost £30 million, a fee many saw as inflated for a player without experience in one of Europe’s top leagues. But the consistency he has shown since making the switch has rendered the fee inconsequential. The Brazilian, now 31, has delivered spectacularly and appears to be getting better with age.

His first season was an unequivocal success. Manuel Pellegrini brought a feeling of calm to a club that had been plagued by turbulence for too long and the result was one of the finest campaigns in the club’s long history.

City won their first league-and-cup double, scoring a remarkable 156 goals in all competitions. It involved a 20-game unbeaten run that saw City win 18, including big victories against Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City. Some of the football they played was outstanding.

Fernandinho was key to much of it. His presence in City’s midfield brought the dynamism, determination and running power they had long needed. He revolutionised the team’s play and allowed Yaya Toure, arguably the most important player in their squad, the freedom to get forward more regularly than he had in the past.

Toure, so confident in his partner’s ability to cover ground and stop the opposition, scored 24 goals in all competitions in one of the most remarkable seasons an individual player has had in English football.

However, a disastrous World Cup campaign in his home nation that summer …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com