Why Pep Guardiola is right to block Fabian Delph’s move to Besiktas

According to reports by the Daily Star, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has no intentions of letting versatile midfielder Fabian Delph move to Besiktas for a year-long loan. The Turkish giants wanted the Englishman to strengthen their squad but Guardiola is set to retain the player at Etihad (h/t Daily Star).

Delph played a key role in City’s title win last season, filling the void at left-back after an injury to first-choice Benjamin Mendy. The manager got the best out of him by making him play as an inverted full-back, where the player acted more like a wide midfielder with defensive responsibilities.

Clearly, the 28-year-old has become a key part of the City squad and hence, Guardiola has done the right thing by rejecting Besiktas’ offer. Here are more rationales as to why the Spaniard’s choice is justifiable in the current scenario:

City have to challenge on all fronts – they will require squad depth

The word “versatile” is key for a player working under a demanding manager like Guardiola. Delph has shown in the past that he can be utilized as a central midfielder, inverted left-back and deep-lying playmaker. And for a club like Manchester City, every game – be it a League Cup tie or Champions League – is important as they must aim to win everything that’s in front of them.

As a result, the manager would require proper squad depth, especially in the midfield and left-back area. Right now, City have one defensive midfielder and one left-back in their squad. So, if Fernandinho needs rest, Delph could slot in as a No. 6 for certain games.

Kevin de Bruyne is injured at the moment, which means the Cityzens might need the 28-year-old to fulfil one of the central midfield roles. Furthermore, if Guardiola requires an inverted full-back to dominate the midfield further, he could deploy Delph and rest Mendy.

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Verdict

It is evident that City need a versatile player like Delph, who was bought from Aston Villa for £8m in 2015. The fact that the 28-year-old can play several roles, often allows Guardiola to switch his positions in between games and expect a positive output. Hence, the gaffer is right to reject any bid from Besiktas.