Things are about to get a little better dressed and a lot more highly-strung.
Perhaps nobody was surprised at the news Pep Guardiola is to take over at Manchester City from this summer, but the manner of the announcement raised a few eyebrows.
It was left to current boss Manuel Pellegrini to drop the bombshell at his press conference previewing Tuesday’s trip to Sunderland, leaving the assembled Mancunian hackery in little doubt as to what was “the line”.
Pellegrini’s doleful, honest and level-headed delivery was not the best medium for the MASSIVE news that has hijacked Deadline Day, but things are about to get a whole lot more glitzy over at the Etihad.
Guardiola’s football CV and reputation as Europe’s greatest coach since Maurice Setters will guarantee every press conference next season (even those previewing Sunderland) will be box office.
It is fair to say life will never be the same again at Citeh, here are just a few things we can expect to see next season.
Endless Messi to Manchester rumours
Look at them, these two love each other. Guardiola and Lionel Messi loved the time they spent together, winning everything in sight and helping each other to develop into the best coach and best player in the world respectively.
Bayern Munich would not have had the financial muscle to lure the Argentinian to the Bundesliga, but City have more money than God and can offer the five-time Ballon D’Or winner the chance to play at Stoke at least once a season.
Raheem Sterling to get pissed off playing as false nine
First things first, Wilfried Bony can start looking for a new home post haste. If ever a player did not fit into the Guardiola mould it is the big goal-shy Ivorian.
Guardiola is not a massive fan of centre-forwards, full stop, and with Robert Lewandowski seemingly determined to head for the sunnier climes of La Liga, Guardiola may stick with the patently excellent Sergio Aguero.
However Aguero is not the most robust of individuals, so we foresee long spells of the season where Raheem Sterling is mobilised in the “False Nine” role made famous by Messi at Barcelona.
We also foresee lots of hands on hips and frustrated gesticulations from Sterling, who did not leave Liverpool so he could be played in fruity positions like wing back again.
This is, of course, dependant on Messi not signing this summer.
Escalation in technical area style stakes
Tomorrow night City take on Sunderland in the Stadium of Light and it is fair to say Sam Allardyce won’t be raising the sartorial stakes ahead of the visit of Pellegrini – who owns the “couldn’t-give-a-f***-university-lecturer” look.
The arrival of sweater vest aficionado Guardiola next season could tip the balance in the style stakes and see the European influence of the likes of the former Barca man, Watford’s Quique Flores and Roberto Martinez start to dominate.
Guardiola w Lederhosen ya gama3a :') pic.twitter.com/yBCq9Ds4mq
— Pensée (@P_elSaify) May 26, 2015
Of course, we are all hoping he brings the love of lederhosen with him from Bavaria.
Yaya Toure to choose between new deal and a new agent
Since Guardiola sold the powerhouse midfielder in 2010, Yaya Toure has become a firm favourite at the Etihad, but he is a firm favourite of a sensitive nature – with overlooked birthdays among the perceived slights to send the Ivorian into a tailspin.
If he throws a hissy fit when no cake is forthcoming then how will he deal with being managed once more by the man who decided he was surplus to Nou Camp requirements?
There is also the small matter of his delightful agent Dimitri Seluk, who just last month said that “my grandfather would win the title with Barcelona and Bayern Munich”.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall during the renegotiation of Toure’s £220,000-per-week contract.
BMIs to replace BMWs as main topic of conversation
Guardiola is a famously intense manager. If he is not obsessing over opponents he is fixating on his own players’ body shapes.
He recently laid down the law to his Bayern playing – telling them they are not working hard enough in training and seemingly banning city breaks.
Pellegrini appears an altogether more chilled individual and you’d wonder how the City players will adapt to Pep’s rule of law.
Given his obsession with body mass index (BMI) it is hard to see Yaya getting any more cake, for a start.
