Ranking Manchester City's 2014 Transfer Window Signings on Last Season's Efforts

The summer transfer window is in full swing, and as usual, Manchester City are being linked with a host of players.

Manuel Pellegrini, the City manager, and Txiki Begiristain, the club's sporting director, are under pressure to deliver big names after a disappointing season at the Etihad. 

But how did they do 12 months ago? We'll take a look at City's major moves from the 2014 summer transfer window and assess their impact. 

Fernando: D

Michael Regan/Getty Images

Despite some clear improvements toward the back end of the season, it was a largely miserable campaign for Fernando.

The Brazilian joined City from Porto for £12 million last summer, and there were big expectations. City hadn’t had an out-and-out defensive midfielder since Nigel de Jong’s departure to AC Milan in 2012, and Fernando was seen as the key to a more flexible midfield setup.

He started well. Two Man of the Match displays in the opening two games suggested City had found themselves a bargain, but an injury in the home defeat to Stoke City saw his rhythm disrupted.

When he returned, he looked slow on the turn and in possession and was culpable for some horrendous moments of misjudgement.

He needs to improve next season to remain a part of the club’s plans. Some players take time to adjust, and Pellegrini will be hoping that a year’s experience in the Premier League will see a more assured player in the coming months. 

Eliaquim Mangala: C

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Of all the players signed last year, it is perhaps the case of Eliaquim Mangala that is the most difficult to assess.

Mangala looks capable of brilliance. Physically, he possesses absolutely everything a defender needs to achieve greatness, from sheer strength and speed across the ground, to wonderful athleticism and ability on the ball. City may have paid big money for the Frenchman, but in terms of pure potential, they will feel it was a risk worth taking.

However, his form in his first year was patchy. After a remarkable debut against Chelsea in which he marked the in-form Diego Costa out of the game, it was a chaotic next few months for Mangala.

Nervousness gripped him. He wasn’t helped by the form of his more senior defensive partners, but a series of errors and shaky displays saw him lose his place in the side.

But Vincent Kompany’s injury and poor form saw Mangala finish the season with a run of consistent starts, and he looked to be flourishing. The panic and tension in his game was lifted, and City began to see something positive for their investment.

This one could go either way. He will either go down as an expensive flop or a sound investment for many years.

Willy Caballero: D

Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Perhaps the most baffling of last summer’s incomings at the Etihad was goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

The form of Joe Hart, which has drastically improved, may be enough for Pellegrini to justify spending an initial £4.4 million on the Malaga man, but given the financial fair play restrictions City were working under and the homegrown rules all clubs must now adhere to, spending a fairly significant sum of money on a foreign substitute goalkeeper seems bizarre.

And it’s not as if Caballero has looked worth the money. Distribution aside, he doesn’t provide an upgrade on Hart in any area of the game.

Bacary Sagna: C

Clive Rose/Getty Images

A free-transfer signing from Arsenal, Bacary Sagna has done well considering how seldom he has played.

It was always going to be tough. Pablo Zabaleta, City’s first-choice right-back, has established himself as one of the best defenders in the league, and usurping him is a difficult task.

Given he played just 14 games in all competitions, Sagna's form was decent. It’s not easy to come into a side on such an irregular basis and perform at your best.

Frank Lampard: B+

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

The player the least was expected of arguably ended up delivering the most.

When Frank Lampard arrived from Chelsea on what would end up being a season-long move, little was expected. It felt like a marriage of convenience. Lampard got to train with a Premier League side as he prepared to move to New York City FC in the MLS, and City had an experienced midfielder should an injury crisis hit.

It turned out to be so much more.

Lampard, particularly during the first half of the season, was excellent. He scored a series of vital goals and demonstrated his quality every time he was selected.

Often used as an impact sub, Lampard proved to be a shrewd move from Pellegrini. He has left his mark at the Etihad despite the short-term nature of his time there. The tribute he received on the last day of the season—his final game in English football—was befitting of a player who has given so much to the Premier League.