Analysing Man City’s most exciting loanees

Pep Guardiola already has an incredible squad at Manchester City, but they also have a few exciting players who were loaned out in the 2021-22 season that may get an opportunity when they return to their parent club.

Based on who made the most appearances for their loan clubs and who has the highest transfer value according to Transfermarkt, we have picked the five most exciting loaned out players from the Citizens and broken down their stats. 
If you’re a Man City fan who wants to know the somewhat unknown names Guardiola could have at his disposal in 2022-23, check out this article. 

Julian Alvarez (River Plate)

22-year-old centre-forward Julian Alvarez has had a lot of hype surrounding him as the Argentine first division continues this summer, with City fans keeping a keen eye on his progress and he is looking like he could be a real asset in the future. He even managed to score six goals in one game in May. In his last outing, Alvarez contributed two goals and two assists in a 5-1 win for River Plate. 
Overall, he has scored 17 goals in 24 matches this season, averaging a goal every 109 minutes. You can see why Man City bought him from River Plate for £15m. The choice to loan him back there looks a good choice too, as he continues to improve. 
Could we see Alvarez playing for Manchester City next season? His loan will expire in July 2022 so Guardiola will have to decide whether to loan him out again or keep him around. It’s unlikely he’d get in the team ahead of Haaland, but he could make a great backup option. 

Played: 24
Assists: 6
Minutes per goal: 109’
Goals per game: 0.71
Goals: 17

Ko Itakura (FC Schalke)

Ko Itakura has been a Manchester City player since 2019, but you would be forgiven for not knowing his name. He’s been out on loan twice since then, firstly at FC Groningen in the Netherlands and then at FC Schalke in the German second division for the 2021-22 season. 
The centre-back has featured regularly in the side, making 32 appearances and keeping nine clean sheets which were essential in helping Schalke to lift the 2. Bundesliga title and gain promotion back to the German top flight. Schalke also had the third-best defensive record in the division and Itakura was integral to that.
He could be a decent backup option for Guardiola, but with experience only in the German second division and the Dutch Eredivisie and now 25 years old, City may choose to offload the player this summer amid interest from Borussia Monchengladbach. 

Played: 32
Goals Conceded: 34
Minutes per goal conceded: 76’
Clean Sheets: 9
Goals: 4

Yangel Herrera (Espanyol) 

24-year-old central midfielder Yangel Herrera (no, that isn’t a typo for Man United’s former number 21) has had what could be described as an average season at Espanyol. 
He was only in their starting line-up 54% of the time and when he was, he rarely played a full 90 minutes. He only managed to get one goal and one assist in 2021-22 and his passing stats are also par for the course for a central midfielder.
The fact that Herrera doesn’t stand out in Espanyol’s team suggests that he probably won’t be good enough to break into City’s first-team squad next season. Some recent reports suggest that City are also willing to listen to offers for Herrera this summer, so his time at City may come to an end without playing a match for them. 

Played: 23
Passes per game: 37.2
Passing success: 81.7% 
Assists: 1
Goals: 1

Arijanet Muric (Adana Demirspor)

Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric has been labelled a top target for Vincent Kompany’s Burnley should Nick Pope leave the Clarets this summer – and for good reason. 
The 23-year-old spent the 2021-22 season at Turkish top-flight side Adana Demirspor and kept 10 clean sheets in 32 matches, the -fourth-most in the league.
He has been on the books at City since 2015 and has been out on loan five times since then.  
He will certainly be behind Ederson and Zack Steffan in the pecking order if he doesn’t leave on loan once again next season, so perhaps a permanent move to join his former teammate Kompany at Burnley would suit him well. But Muric has certainly got talent, so maybe Guardiola will give him a chance to impress in pre-season. 

Played: 32
Conceded: 38
Conceded per game: 1.23
Penalty Saves: 1
Clean Sheets: 10

Nahuel Bustos (Girona FC) 

The final name on this list is Nahuel Bustos, a pacey centre-forward with quick feet and an eye for goal. Bustos was instrumental in helping Girona FC get promoted back into the Spanish first division, after scoring 11 goals across the 2021-22 season in a partnership with fellow striker Cristhian Stuani which was very effective. 
At just 23 years old he still has the potential to improve. Like Julian Alvarez, his potential began to shine through in the Argentine Premier Division with Club Atletico Talleres, where he scored 15 goals in 38 matches in 2020. 
Despite their similar career paths, Bustos seems to have less hype surrounding him than Alvarez but he could get a chance to impress Guardiola in pre-season before deciding whether to loan him out again next season, as Girona are currently attempting to secure another temporary or permanent deal for him.

Played: 40
Assists: 2
Minutes per goal: 128’
Goals per game: 0.28
Goals: 11