5 players Pep Guardiola has transformed in Manchester City’s current squad

Last Updated on 28 November 2025

Pep Guardiola doesn’t just coach footballers, he rewires them. Give him a technically gifted player, and he’ll turn them into a tactical weapon. Hand him someone rough around the edges, and he’ll sculpt them into a polished, system-perfect machine.

It’s what has defined Manchester City’s dynasty: a squad full of players who didn’t just improve under Pep, but evolved into entirely new versions of themselves.

Here are five current Manchester City players Pep has transformed taking them to the next level.

5 – Phil Foden

Phil Foden’s profile is one that you rarely come across in England. A savvy no.10 who can score goals, create chances and dictate the tempo of the game.

But, without Pep Guardiola’s guiding hand, Foden would not have reached the heights that he did. Breaking out, Foden was primarily forced out on the wing in youth set-ups, however, Pep moved him central, utilizing his explosive dribbling and goal-scoring ability.

More recently, Foden has also been deployed as deeper playmaker, playing a central midfield role. That, in turn, has allowed him to be patient when playing further forward, turning him into a very unique number 10.

4 – Erling Haaland

To say that Pep Guardiola taught Erling Haaland how to score goals would be simply unfair and wrong. Haaland has been immense, scoring for fun throughout his career but the Spanish maestro has definitely changed his game, too.

When Haaland first came to England, his physical profile was fantastic but his link-up play needed lots of work. Few years on and there aren’t many players that can do what Haaland does in Manchester City’s build up.

For many, Haaland was the very antithesis of Pep’s ideology. But, not only has Guardiola adapted completely, he has transformed Haaland into a scarier version of himself.

3 – Jeremy Doku

Jeremy Doku, like Erling Haaland, is naturally gifted at the trait that makes him so special. For Haaland, it’s goalscoring, for Doku, it’s his unbelievable dribbling quality.

But for all his ability to make the fullback look stupid, Doku has not been able to maximize getting into the final third.

One year with Pep Guardiola and the Belgian produced one of the best winger performances in Premier League history against Liverpool.

While that was only his first contributions in the league, Doku has looked a lot more dangerous in the first few months of this season than ever before in his career.

2 – Matheus Nunes

Matheus Nunes was a midfielder by trade when he earned his move from Wolverhampton Wanderers to Manchester City.

Even before he joined Wolves, Nunes heavily impressed Guardiola in a 5-0 loss as a Sporting Lisbon player.

But, since moving to the Etihad, Nunes’ role has changed dramatically. Initially written off as a flop, the Portuguese international failed to make his mark at City.

Then came Guardiola’s magic touch.

Nunes, throughout the 2024/25 season, would play 20 games as a fullback, as per Transfermarkt. A unique tactical tweak, but one that worked wonders with Guardiola getting the best out of the 27-year-old, who now plies his trade at rightback for City.

1 – Rodri

Manchester City signed Rodri in the summer of 2019, paying more than £62 million to trigger his release clause from Atletico Madrid.

But his start as City player was almost nightmarish. Labelled as an expensive flop by many media outlets, pundits believed he did not have the pace or physicality to make it in the Premier League.

However, Guardiola worked extremely hard on the training pitch with Rodri, improving his positioning and getting the best out of him defensively.

All of that would pay off, with Rodri scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final for City after a fantastic all-round campaign that earned him the Ballon d’Or in 2024.