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The January transfer window is officially open for business, and Manchester City are in a great deal of need for some inspiration in all areas of the squad.
What began as a season the same as any other has quickly descended into chaos. Usually the pinnacle of English football, Man City have slumped so far down the Premier League and Champions League standings that silverware may not arrive this term.
As things stand, the reigning champions are 12 points shy of the total leaders Liverpool possess. This is only enough for them to sit sixth, facing a highly-competitive battle to even qualify for Europe’s elite competition in the last stint of the campaign.
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Pep Guardiola’s visible issue has been a declining squad. During the summer window it was a risk to make just two signings – Savinho bought from sister club Troyes whilst 33-year-old Ilkay Gundogan made a grand return.
The only source of goals other than Erling Haaland up front, Julian Alvarez, was granted his wish to depart in the biggest sale of the summer, and fringe players Joao Cancelo, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Sergio Gomez were sold too.
What the manager has been left with is a team littered with heroes that deserve to be celebrated for all that they have achieved in recent years, but ultimately require phasing out either in this window or the next.
So, with that said MEN Sport has taken a look at what a dream transfer window would look like for Man City and Guardiola.
Incomings
The case could be made for Man City requiring at least one addition to their squad in every area of the pitch. However, the January window is often too tight to get extensive or major business over the line so they are going to have to rely on two strategies.
One will be the might of Man City. As THE modern powerhouse of English football, the weight their name holds might be enough to unsettle any targets into pushing for the mid-season move.
Such a bold tactic would help them achieve one signing they desperately need – a forward. As mentioned, Haaland is a prolific goalscorer but he cannot create nor score all by himself.
With 18 goals and 11 assists in the Bundesliga already this term, Omar Marmoush of Eintracht Frankfurt is the best option out there to arrive and provide an immediate sense of positivity.
Man City played some of their best football last year when Alvarez played off Haaland, and that can be rediscovered with the Egyptian’s signing for the reported £50m price tag he commands – even if Frankfurt may prove reluctant before the upcoming summer.
The other strategy Man City can employ is opportunism – acting on signings who present themselves. One such player is defender Abdukodir Khusanov, whose agent has openly admitted that he would like to make the next step in his career.
Fresh blood in the back line is also critical with Guardiola contending with so many injuries, whilst those that remain are struggling to carry out his tactical plans.
This leaves two more positions in the team. To wrap up the goalkeeper debate quickly, there is no pressing desire despite some mistakes and this can wait until summer.
But the midfield is another that is going to require some extra thought. No Rodri until next season has left a huge hole for opposition to expose.
The dream would be for Guardiola to find a solution within his current crop of players and avoid spending money on a player who would likely go to being an understudy in six months’ time. However, he has had four months to crack this and still hasn’t managed the task, so the transfer market may now be the only option.
Outgoings
Even if fingers are to be pointed at certain Man City stars amid this so-far disappointing campaign, unsteadying the ship with exits midway through may not be the best course of action.
Unless there was a major offer tabled for the likes of Ederson, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva or Jack Grealish, there seems little point in carrying out a task that will be better-planned for the summer transfer window.
Also leaving then as things stand are Kevin de Bruyne and Gundogan, when their contracts expire.
Wholesale changes at the Etihad Stadium are coming, and time is on Man City’s side even if it means relinquishing just one title.