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Guardiola delivers verdict on Dias after Man City debut

Ruben Dias - Manchester City
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Pep Guardiola is confident that Ruben Dias will prove his worth at Manchester City but warns that it will not happen overnight.

After suffering from defensive issues throughout the last season due to injuries to some defenders and inconsistencies from others, Manchester City became resolute to bolster their backline.

Kalidou Koulibaly, Jose Maria Gimenez, Jules Kounde, and Ruben Dias were all linked with a move to the Etihad but it was the latter for whom Man City opted in the end.

The Sky Blues paid Benfica a reported €68 million for a center-back who is said to be comfortable on the ball, is adept at picking out teammates from the back, and is a leader on the pitch.

Much is expected from the 23-year old Portuguese who is believed to be the heir of Vincent Kompany and exert a similar influence on the team as well as the games as he did.

“He’s not just a player with skills, he’s a natural leader – you have to be to be captain of a team like Benfica, one of the greatest teams of all time in Europe, at 23,” Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports.

“In a short time, he’ll be captain of Portugal too.

“He needs time – to know the players, to know the way we want to play, but he came here for six years; in that time he will become an important player for us.”

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