Hugo Viana's Man City three priority signings are clear after starting new job (2025)

Hugo Viana watched on as Manchester City struggled to create chances at Manchester United - his urgent priorities have become apparent.

Sunday should be the end of an era.

Pep Guardiola trusted his legends one more time at Old Trafford knowing the pace in midfield would be slow. The hope was that Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic and co. would look after the ball and keep the pressure on Manchester United's low block.

United lived up to their part of the plan, City's veterans didn't and the result was the lowest-quality derby in recent memory. Watching from the director's box was Hugo Viana, who may not have been too impressed with what he saw.

Viana has started at City full-time now, as revealed by the Manchester Evening News on Monday. His task will be to ensure the next City line-up vs United has far more dynamism to it.

Some of that will take care of itself. You would expect Erling Haaland and Rodri to be back for the first derby next season and a stronger defence, too.

Say John Stones or Manu Akanji return, Josko Gvardiol is back on the left, and suddenly things are looking more solid at one end and and more threatening at the other.

Kevin De Bruyne's departure will free up a change at no.10 - presumably Omar Marmoush or Phil Foden taking that mantle. Or does Viana look for a statement summer signing to announce his own arrival?

Florian Wirtz is the name in the papers and on the lips of fans, however the truth is anyone remotely capable of replacing De Bruyne will cost a significant amount.

It's up to Viana to decide how best to answer that unanswerable question of how to replace De Bruyne. He won't be around next season and maybe Gundogan won't either. Mateo Kovacic will play less when Rodri returns so the midfield trio with a combined age of 97 is aptly coming to the end of its natural life.

Rodri, Nico Gonzalez and Foden or Marmoush looks like a much better midfield next season before any new signings. And Viana's second priority is easier to decide upon.

Matheus Nunes earned praise from Guardiola for his right-back performance vs United before hearing he is 'not clever enough' to play in the middle.

If that means midfield, Nunes' days at City must be numbered, because he isn't a full-back and with Rico Lewis struggling a right-back must be high on the summer shopping list.

Finally, Viana must take one look at the defence which had three players effectively playing out of position and make some touch decisions on the players who weren't available.

If the likes of John Stones or Nathan Ake are on borrowed time given their injury records, does Viana need another centre-back even with the two youngsters signed in January?

Food for thought for the new Sporting Director, who will arguably have looked at the XI at Old Trafford and seen six positions that need improving.