1 Player Manchester City Will Regret Not Signing in 2015 Summer Transfer Window

In the eyes of most observers, Manchester City have had a superb transfer window. Their business was done efficiently, as it often has been since Txiki Begiristain became sporting director in 2013, and their squad looks in far better health than it did toward the end of last season.

The speed with which they began signing players meant no last-day panic. City were ready for the season as their rivals were still chasing targets.

In the words of captain Vincent Kompany, 2014/15 was “unacceptable.” City began the season as a side looking to compete for multiple pieces of silverware after a league- and cup-winning campaign in 2013/14.

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CAPTAIN's ORDERS: Kompany insists there will not be a repeat of #MCFC's 'unacceptable' season. http://t.co/EU7u0sdgGP pic.twitter.com/DCla9DC19o

— Manchester City News (@ManCityMEN) September 1, 2015"

What followed their title success was deeply disappointing. A good run in December saw them pull level with early leaders Chelsea, but a remarkable collapse in form from the turn of the year saw them go into free fall. After their defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in April—their eighth loss in 15 matches in all competitions—their top-four status looked under threat, let alone their title defence.

An encouraging six-game winning run after the 4-2 loss to United steadied the ship and saw some of the hysteria surrounding the club die down as they finished safely in second place. Manuel Pellegrini, the City manager, kept hold of his job, and after a post-season North American tour, he and Begiristain began enacting their transfer plans.

They landed two of their three top targets—Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne—but missed out on Paul Pogba, the Juventus and France midfielder on the cusp of greatness. Of all the players City were linked with this summer, Pogba is undoubtedly the man they will most regret not managing to get through the door.

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A deal for Pogba, 22, was always going to be difficult to finalise. He is seen as football’s brightest and fastest-rising star, a player possessing such a complete set of qualities he can almost do the job of two men. He’s quick, strong, a good dribbler and a contributor to both attack and defence. He even scores great goals. He’s arguably the most complete midfielder in world football—certainly the most promising.

Which is why he is seen as the true heir to Yaya Toure’s throne. Pogba is the only midfielder who can offer anything like the same comprehensive package of attributes as City’s Ivorian. Given how important to the club’s rise Toure has been, it’s understandable why they are already considering the best option to replace the 32-year-old with an already world-class player 10 years his junior.

Pogba’s story is one that has seen him single-mindedly roam around the world in an attempt to grow and develop his game. His nomadic career has seen a constant striving to improve.

Beginning in France with US Roissy-en-Brie as a six-year-old, he moved to Torcy seven years later. He wasn’t there long. Le Havre controversially moved for him, and Pogba, showing his now famous determination to do what’s best for his career, left.

In 2011, he moved to England. United, considered England’s best club in terms of youth development and one of the biggest names in football, was a huge step up. Pogba’s hard work was paying dividends.

But he grew frustrated. There appeared to be a reluctance from Sir Alex Ferguson, then in charge at United, to use him. He played just seven games for the club, with a 3-2 defeat at Blackburn Rovers, where Ferguson opted to use Park Ji-Sung and Rafael as central midfielders with Pogba left on the bench, the final straw.

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“I said to Ferguson: 'Play me, and will show you if I am ready or not',” Pogba said in an interview with TF1 ( via Sky Sports).

“Against Blackburn, on December 31, 2011, I was on the bench. Ferguson puts Rafael in midfield with Ji-Sung Park. Then I gave up.”

Of all of Ferguson’s mistakes while in charge at Old Trafford, allowing Pogba to leave without giving him anywhere near enough opportunities to shine surely ranks as one of his biggest.

Juventus, though, has been the perfect place for him to improve. Last season, he played alongside Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal—a trio of players possessing a little bit of everything. According to an Independent article by Jack Pitt-Brooke, Pogba says he used training sessions alongside those players to learn. 

Pirlo is one of the all-time great passers. Marchisio is technically excellent. Vidal uses his physicality to devastating effect. Pogba has developed into a blend of the three.

“I try to steal something in every training session,” he said. “I try to take on Claudio’s technique, or Arturo’s aggression, or the passing of Andrea.”

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Four major trophies in three seasons has been his reward for moving to Turin, but so has the rapid improvements to his game. He left Manchester an inexperienced, underused prospect. He’s now one of the finest, most devastating midfielders in the game.

Juventus’ run to last season’s Champions League final put Italian football back in the spotlight and showcased Pogba at his best throughout the tournament. Europe’s biggest clubs now view him as a supreme talent, the kind of player who will be remembered as one of this generation's greats. His next move is key; whoever gets him will enjoy his best years as a footballer.

It felt almost certain he would leave. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich would all surely have been interested. City, according to Chris Wheeler in the Mail, most certainly were. Ultimately, this summer wasn’t the time for him to move, but City’s interest has been registered, and they will look to re-enter negotiations should the Frenchman indicate he wants to leave in the near future.

City’s excellent transfer window has given their squad a much-needed face-lift. Their rivals will struggle to stop them in the Premier League, and many are now expecting them to move into unprecedented territory in the Champions League.

Begiristain deserves credit for such a well-executed window, but if there’s one regret, it will be the failure, for now at least, to land Pogba. He’s a game-changing player, the kind who strikes fear into the opposition before a match even begins.

For so long, Toure has been City’s big-game player, so often the difference in tight games because of his mix of technical and physical qualities. A force of nature he may be, but he can’t go on forever.

City need to replace his talents, and there really is only one option. Pogba is unlikely to be at Juventus this time next year. City need to do everything in their power to make sure he ends up at the Etihad.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.