During his decade-long spell as Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola made some extraordinary signings. But one decision in the summer of 2022 may well go down as the most costly error of his entire managerial career in England.

It’s easy to forget, given everything that’s followed, just how good Guardiola’s transfer record at the Etihad was. When he arrived in 2016, he inherited a squad already packed with world-class talent. David Silva was pulling the strings, Sergio Aguero was scoring for fun, and Yaya Toure was bossing the midfield.

But rather than rest on those foundations, he kept building. The now-departed Bernardo Silva showed up in 2018, Rodri arrived and won a Ballon d’Or five years later, and Erling Haaland broke the all-time Premier League scoring record in his first season.

Which is why what happened four years ago still stings. Faced with a choice between two midfielders, he backed the wrong horse, with both players having polar-opposite careers since.

Why Guardiola Chose Kalvin Phillips Over Declan Rice

According to The Telegraph, the decision came down to a straight choice in the summer of 2022: Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips or West Ham’s Declan Rice. Guardiola went with Phillips, convinced that his passing range and scanning abilities made him the better fit for City’s system.

And you could see his thinking at the time. ‘The Yorkshire Pirlo’ had been exceptional in England’s run to the Euro 2020 (2021) final, and his ability to read the game and recycle possession had drawn admiring glances from all over Europe. For a manager as detail-obsessed as Guardiola, those qualities would’ve mattered most.

The problem, in hindsight, was that so much of what made Phillips effective was tied to the specific environment Marcelo Bielsa had built around him at Leeds. Take him out of that situation and drop him into the relentless demands of a Guardiola side, and the fit wasn’t right. His game was fundamentally defensive, with little of the forward-carrying ability that City’s midfield required.

Rice, by contrast, had everything. The engine, the aggression, the technical quality, and the capacity to influence games in both directions.

To his credit, Guardiola seemed to clock the mistake fairly quickly. City made a genuine attempt to sign Rice the following summer, only for Arsenal to win the race, securing the West Ham skipper for £100 million.

Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips Have Gone in Very Different Directions

The four years since have told the story pretty bluntly. Phillips has managed just 32 appearances in all competitions for Manchester City. He’s been sent out on loan three times in three seasons, first to West Ham and then Ipswich, with both being spells as bad as the other, and now Sheffield United in the Championship.

The Blades are said to be keen on making the arrangement permanent, though. But with his contract not expiring until 2028, a free transfer to Bramall Lane might be out of the question for a player who cost City £42 million.

Rice’s story reads very differently. The move to Arsenal transformed him from a very good player into an elite one, and many would say he’s one of the best midfielders in the world and a future England captain. This season, the 27-year-old led Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years, and made it all the way to the Champions League final. He’s exactly the kind of player City would love to have right now, especially with Rodri’s recent fitness issues.

As it happens, City are in the market for midfield reinforcements, with a move for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson said to be in the works. City will likely have to break the British transfer record set by Arsenal for Rice to secure it.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a major boost for the summer transfer window after it emerged that Joao Palhinha has made joining them his priority, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs have already agreed deals to sign Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi this summer on a free transfer, with Roberto De Zerbi desperate to add some leadership and quality to his squad after narrowly avoiding relegation.

But the Italian is also looking to keep several key stars with his squad to keep some stability and continuity, and that includes Palhinha.

Palhinha Gives Tottenham Priority for Transfer

Palhinha, who has been described as ‘world-class’, spent last season with Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich, and scored vital goals to keep the club in the Premier League, including the winner on the final day of the season against Everton.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Portugal international is set to leave Bayern permanently this summer, with terms agreed over a deal to see him return to Sporting CP, while they continue to negotiate with the Bundesliga club.

But Romano now reports that the 30-year-old midfielder is giving Tottenham his priority ahead of a potential return to the club, as he has a fantastic relationship with De Zerbi.

Spurs are yet to make a final decision on whether they want to keep him at the club permanently, despite the manager confirming that he is a big fan of the player. Should they opt to trigger their buy option, or find an agreement with Bayern, then the player will stay in north London.

However, if they decide against it, then Sporting CP are ready to make their interest concrete and take him back to Lisbon.

Tottenham Should Keep Palhinha Around

Spurs are planning for a very busy, and important summer transfer window. But while there may well be big changes on the horizon, De Zerbi will be aware that wholesale changes are not necessarily a good thing.

Palhinha has experience at the highest level, is in the prime of his career and clearly cares about the club and where they want to be. That’s the type of character De Zerbi needs in his squad if he wants to take them back up the table and playing European football.

A deal is there to be done, with all parties clearly interested in making it happen. So if it doesn’t, then the only people to blame will be the Lewis Family.

Tennis legend John McEnroe once revealed who he considers the greatest player ever on each surface, offering his verdict on the best performers across every type of court.

With the four Grand Slam tournaments contested on three distinct surfaces — grass, clay, and hard courts — it takes an exceptional athlete to achieve the career Grand Slam by capturing all four major titles. Only nine men and 10 women have accomplished that remarkable milestone.

However, every surface presents unique challenges, and while some players thrive in certain conditions, others find them difficult to master. British star Jack Draper, for instance, admitted that grass is his least favourite surface, a claim that seemed justified when he recently suffered a surprising second-round defeat to Marin Cilic at Wimbledon.

John McEnroe’s Picks For Every Tennis Surface

Clay – Rafael Nadal

When discussing the greatest players by surface, McEnroe began with clay, the surface synonymous with Roland Garros. Unsurprisingly, he selected Rafael Nadal, widely regarded as the undisputed King of Clay.

The Spanish icon captured an astonishing 14 French Open titles over a 17-year period. His first triumph came in 2005, and he remained virtually unbeatable in Paris, with his first defeat arriving against Robin Soderling in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets in 2009.

Appropriately, Nadal received a special tribute at the French Open in recent years, and his footprint has been permanently displayed at Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris.

McEnroe told Inside the NBA when asked who he considered the greatest clay-court player: “Rafael Nadal, on the surface we’re going to see over the next couple of weeks, without a doubt, it’s him on clay at Roland Garros.”

Grass – Roger Federer

In much the same way that Nadal dominated on clay, McEnroe’s choice for the finest grass-court player was Roger Federer.

The Swiss maestro, an eight-time Wimbledon champion and one of Centre Court’s most beloved figures, became famous for his graceful movement and effortless style on grass. McEnroe also acknowledged another grass-court great while discussing the category, adding: “To me, Rod Laver, way back when, was my idol.”

Laver enjoyed tremendous success during the 1960s, collecting 11 Grand Slam singles titles, including four Wimbledon crowns. Nevertheless, Federer’s achievements and sustained excellence on grass placed him at the top of McEnroe’s list.

Hard – Novak Djokovic

Turning to hard courts, the surface used at both the US Open and Australian Open, as well as many tour events throughout the season, McEnroe had no hesitation in naming Novak Djokovic as the greatest ever.

Speaking with Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley during an appearance on their programme, he said: “The best hard-court player of all time would be Novak Djokovic.”

The Serbian superstar owns a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, with 14 of those coming on the hard courts of Melbourne and New York. Even at 39 years old, Djokovic continues to challenge for major trophies. His versatility across all surfaces and multiple victories at every Grand Slam underline his greatness.

All three selections as the greatest players on their preferred surfaces seem fitting, considering Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic collectively dominated men’s tennis for well over a decade-and-a-half.