2 weeks ago
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Manchester City finally signing a left-back this summer might have a couple of knock-on effects for players who had filled in there last season.
For Josko Gvardiol, it is a chance to return to the centre of defence and his preferred position, striking up a likely partnership with Ruben Dias, one that got an initial outing towards the end of last season.
That came about as Nico O'Reilly emerged as the latest City player to move out of position. The attacking midfielder started to get chances at left-back early in 2025 and quickly made the role his own.
The academy graduate started eight of the final 11 games of the season, and he used those chances to make himself part of the first-team furniture. O'Reilly will be in Pep Guardiola's senior squad this season.
But the question for the 20-year-old is, where will he play? The signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri might mean he gets fewer minutes than he did in the second half of last season, but he might also get more chances in his favoured position.
O'Reilly is an attacking midfielder by trade, and he showed his eye for goal by netting five times from left-back, often timing his runs into central areas perfectly. Guardiola picked up on that, and the City boss explained why it showed his future will remain in midfield despite the impressive way he settled in at left-back.
"His position is - I'm pretty sure - attacking midfielder and every cross he is on the penalty spot," Guardiola said. "That's what I like as an attacking midfielder.
"I'm pretty sure [he is a midfielder], otherwise he doesn't score the goals like he has scored so far. He likes to be there, he has a good shot and quality in small spaces and it's helping us."
O'Reilly could still be used as cover at left-back. Ait-Nouri won't play every game, and if Guardiola doesn't want to move Gvardiol, then he knows he now has a reliable stand-in who offers a very different attacking threat.
Speaking towards the end of last season, O'Reilly explained how he had developed in the position and started to find he enjoyed it.
“I had to get used to the defending side as well because being in the back line was not something I was used to, he said.
“As it has gone on, I have learnt a lot and still have got a lot to learn as well. I have enjoyed it and it’s good to have a bit of versatility.
“Obviously with my size and my physicality, to get up and down the wing, it does suit me.
“I think the way we have been playing tactically has benefited me in that way, to get in those positions.”
The challenge for the Manchester-born youngster is to establish himself in a midfield role. There is plenty of competition there, although a lot of it is probably for deeper roles and could be eased if one of Nico Gonzalez or Ilkay Gundogan departs.
Bernardo Silva is now the club captain and played regularly in the most attacking midfield role in the Club World Cup. Phil Foden was impressive in America and will want to make that role his own once again, while new signing Rayan Cherki also offers an alternative.
That is plenty of competition for O'Reilly to deal with, but there will be loads of games for City again, and if the way he adapted to his chance in an unfamiliar position is anything to go by, he could well find himself climbing the queue in attacking midfield this season as well.
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