Jesus Navas Exclusive: Man City Star Talks Wing Play, Transfers and Title Race

When Roberto Mancini's ill-fated final season in charge was over, with Manchester City finishing the season empty-handed and in disarray, there was a feeling that their squad was lacking some key ingredients. City had won the Premier League in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable in the previous campaign, but what followed was a year of regression and disharmony, ending with a limp title defence and an FA Cup final defeat to Wigan Athletic.

Pace and width were desperately needed. City had become narrow and one-dimensional. When plan A failed, they had no alternative. They were far too easy to frustrate.

Manuel Pellegrini's arrival in the spring of 2013 lifted everyone, and alongside Txiki Begiristain, the club's sporting director, he set about adding players to the squad who could bring something new. Jesus Navas—signed for £14.9 million from Sevilla, where he had spent 10 seasons—was the man earmarked to offer the width and pace the club had been crying out for in Mancini's final year.

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It worked. City were faster, sharper, played on the front foot and thrilled with the quality of their attacking football. Players who had previously been woefully out of form were suddenly playing with vim and vigour, and those like Navas, who had arrived to supplement the squad, settled quickly. City played with freedom and expression, scored a century of goals in record time and won two major trophies.

Navas is a player Pellegrini trusts. His pace is an obvious asset—a constant outlet particularly useful on the break—but it's his defensive discipline that is arguably his most underrated strength. Whoever plays at right-back for City has a much easier game when he is in front of them thanks to his hard work and desire to help reclaim possession whenever City lose the ball.

Which is perhaps why he has played so often for City despite question marks of his final ball. He's an incredibly reliable player who has been worth the price that City paid.

"The way I play is the way I have always played," he said in an exclusive conversation with Bleacher Report. "That is what got me here, always trying to get on the wing and play fast. That is my game, and that's what I am asked to do and what I try to do in every match, so I don't feel I have had to really adapt my game too much."

Navas has been a regular in his two seasons at City, but even for him, a player so clearly valued by the manager, he must accept time on the bench. City's squad is full of quality, and with the number of games they have to play in a season, accepting time on the sideline is part of the job.

"Obviously, you want to play, and I have had the opportunity of starting many games this season," he said. "But we have a big squad, and everyone is top level and can do it well."

After years of spectacular failure, City have been transformed by the wealth of Sheikh Mansour and the Abu Dhabi United Group, moving from perennial underachievers to one of the most dominant sides in English football.

And now with Ferran Soriano, the club's CEO, charged with growing the club globally, City have embarked on a unique venture. City Football Group now owns a number of clubs across the world, including New York City FC, a brand-new MLS franchise wearing sky blue.

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It's a bold vision for a side that played third-tier football in the '90s, a time when having players like Navas seemed like an unrealistic dream. But Navas feels City have well and truly announced themselves on the world stage and are a club people respect.

“I think people see Man City as a great club, and these days, people can see Man City are one of the big clubs.

"As far as those players, I don't know if it is possible they could arrive at City one day, but we have some of the world's best players already at the club."

Navas enjoys the quiet life and feels Manchester is a place that allows footballers to reach their maximum level. However, some Spanish sunshine in Manchester certainly wouldn't go amiss.

"I like the life in Manchester a lot," Navas said. "It can be quiet, and it's very good for footballers in order to focus and concentrate in just playing the game.

"If I could change anything or bring anything, it would be the sun and weather from Seville."

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One huge disappointment for Navas since his move to City was missing out on Spain's World Cup squad for their campaign in Brazil. It's no disgrace given the quality at their disposal, but it means the City winger had to watch from home, helpless as his country exited at the group stage. Navas, though, feels they can bounce back.

"I think we have a very good group of players, with a lot of good quality in the squad. We have some new players coming through who are top, top players along with some of the senior players who know what it takes to win a major tournament.

"We will carry on with the same path that we have been doing for a few years now, so I do think it's possible, yes."

And finally, does he feel City can overhaul Chelsea despite the points deficit that currently exists?

"I think there are many games left. Until it is impossible to come back, we will look to close the gap, but we realise it is going to be difficult. But there is a chance."

Jesús Navas was speaking to Bleacher Report to promote the launch of the first New Balance Football advert #NBFootball. To find out more, follow @NBFootball