Kicking off this week, before a huge game tonight against Brentford, we are going to look at one signing many may be sleeping on. Maximo Perrone.

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We did rank all the signings made under Pep Guardiola, other than our summer signings, in a thread linked below. Be interesting to see your thoughts in the comments, who would you move around on that list?

Several have mentioned Rodri being number one, which over time with Haaland is going to be hard to deny!

Maximo Perrone (Las Palmas - on loan)

Perrone is an interesting one, he would be immediately compared to Alvarez with how quickly he had settled in and stood out. Time though is needed for him, as gifted as he looked technically on the ball, the step up in physicality looked a big one for him. Loan is exactly what he needed.

City Thoughts Internally 👇

Thoughts

• He started off the season with limited minutes as a substitute, settling in and now has played 90 minutes in six of the last seven games for Las Palmas (63 minutes against Granada).

• Operating as a DM, he is a deep lying playmaker that likes to dictate the tempo with lots of touches and passes. Excellent technical ability. Can see with the touches this season, is focused on the first and second phase of play.

• He does get involved a lot more defensively that he would if playing at City with limited minutes, can be overly aggressive when defending and so this is an important aspect for him to get time working on.

• Possession based teams, always asking for the ball and being able to use his passing ability is where he will thrive. Las Palmas certainly are a perfect fit for his profile to develop. Very good spatial awareness, scanning and seeing the killer passes.

• Mobile. Always on the move and covering both sides on the pitch. Look at his heatmap this season, lines up with what we have said about him contributing to the first and second phases of play. Not so much the final third despite him having the technical ability to do so.

Moving Forward

• He has a big six months ahead to keep consistently getting minutes, Las Palmas are having a good season (9th in La Liga) and part of that is Perrone.

• Expect him to return for the pre-season tour before a loan decision is made. The style of his play is perfect for our system, just questions remain on handling the physicality and expectations with City. Rodri has impeccable timing on his challenges and inceptions. That’s the standard Perrone needs to reach.

• I could see him doing very well for us in the role that Kovacic has performed this season for example, alongside Rodri.

• A loan to Girona, Brighton and clubs around that level for 24/25 could be the most likely option if City buy another player in the summer, blocking any path to the first team.

• He could be the hybrid 6/8 we are looking for. Brilliant in the pockets and able to handle pressure deep, retain the ball and progress the play. If you look at what Gundogan was able to do as a DM, you’ll see a lot of qualities Perrone has.

• Do not sleep on him as a transfer miss, very talented and useful player for our system.

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Thoughts on the game tonight, after Arsenal beating Liverpool

• Couldn’t have been a better result for City, we now have two games in hand which if we win takes us top before either Arsenal or Liverpool kick a ball next. Trent still off it post injury. Konate suspended. Alison and VVD not looking sharp. Thiago not looking great on his return either.

• Impressive performance by Arsenal, no avoiding that, which will give them plenty of confidence for the run in ahead. Saka & Zinchenko off injured is big for them.

• Turns up the pressure for tonight game under the lights, know that this is exactly where we perform best and expect the team to relish this opportunity.

Coming Up…

Tomorrow we will review the Brentford game, plenty of threads coming soon on X and a preview of Everton before the end of the week. If you didn’t catch it already, yesterday we posted a thread on Claudio Echeverri. 👇