Rice's move gave us a title race: could it also decide it?

Pep Guardiola chooses not to think about the ones who got away. Perhaps he prefers to concentrate on the players he does manage, rather than those he merely tried to sign. Perhaps it is just as well because, lengthy as the list of high-class players Manchester City have bought is, it is still shorter than the catalogue of the transfer targets that, for various reasons, eluded them: from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane via Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez, Harry Maguire, Lucas Paqueta, Marc Cucurella and Fred. It would occupy plenty of his time considering an alternative history if each of an eclectic group had been signed.

- RICHARD JOLLY

Yet one rebuffed bid feels more pertinent than the others right now. Guardiola has rarely had reasons to wonder what might have been and rue. Declan Rice, however, could be the exception. If Arsenal win a first Premier League in two decades, it will in part be because of a player City offered £90m for; if Guardiola’s side fail to become champions for a fourth successive season, it may be because of two games against Arsenal, against Rice.

“Sometimes here we have many players we wanted and they didn’t decide to join us,” shrugged Guardiola. “He’s not the first one. We have a long list. Basically, they don’t want to come or the price [is too high] or whatever, it could not happen. He took his decision, a good one, and good luck.”

Even if Rice’s preference for Arsenal may prove the choice that decides the title race, it’s almost certainly the move that gave us a title race to begin with. City have only lost three league games this season: the three that Rodri missed due to suspension. They included October’s 1-0 reverse at the Emirates Stadium when the Englishman impressed and Mateo Kovacic, the midfielder signed instead of Rice, struggled and was fortunate not to be sent off.