Manchester City transfer wish list for January 2025

Manchester City have not bought a first-team player during the January transfer window since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte in 2018.

Pep Guardiola was building from a position of strength at the time, and had a 12-point lead Premier League top as they headed towards their first and so far only hundred campaign in English football history. The setting couldn’t be more different this year.

Guardiola, who is facing the worst crisis in his managerial career, revealed that City may have to enter the January market.

Guardiola felt anxious before watching his team lose again: “We are not the biggest fans of this (window), but the circumstances of this season were special.” Against Aston Villa. “We talked about doing something.”

Here’s what that thing could be like.

There was little Rodri could do over the past three months to command the same level of acclaim that was thrust his way while Manchester City spiraled violently out of control in his absence.

when Ballon d’Or winner He came off midway through Arsenal’s trip to the Etihad Stadium in September, with City leading 1-0 and top of the direct standings Premier League table.

Over the next 12 league matches, the defending champions dropped to seventh place and scored 20 goals in the top flight. The season isn’t even halfway through yet, and City have already committed more errors that have led to more shots than they have in three of the last four full seasons.

Ilkay Gundogan has only theoretically returned from his one-year break at Barcelona, ​​while Mateo Kovacic – the closest thing Guardiola had to a replacement for Rodri – has been mired in injuries.

Potential targets

The city is said to have developed a Five-man midfield shortlist. Top candidates may be good Martin Zobemendi. The understated coordinator at the base of Real Sociedad’s midfield was the man chosen by Luis de la Fuente to fill the void left by Rodri’s substitution at half-time in the Euro 2024 final.

While Zobimendi does not have the same imposing physical build as his compatriot, he does boast ease of possession and a clear understanding of the game. There was a reason Liverpool spent a lot of time last summer He chases him.

There is no doubt about the physical ability of Ederson. The Brazilian midfielder covers the ground of regular players from the heart of Atalanta’s engine room. With a mind as strong as his other muscles, Ederson seems to improve with every day he spends under the watchful eye of Gian Piero Gasperini.

If City are looking for a proven Premier League talent, they could opt for her Bruno Guimarães. The Newcastle United vice-captain has a long-standing rivalry with Rodri, but he would do a great job filling in for the Spaniard and could easily play alongside him once he returns to the pitch. All City has to do is raise £100m.

The city’s infection crisis They may have landed the best midfielder, but bad luck with fitness has also decimated the backline. Mateus Nunes had to be awkwardly placed in the left-back role in the Manchester derby in December – and duly given a penalty – after Guardiola was left with just three defenders. Ruben Dias was then forced in The treatment room is increasingly crowded.

While the declining Kyle Walker is living up to his title on the right side of City’s backline, Guardiola has been searching for a natural left-back for years.

The defending champions are in desperate need of any vaguely defensive-minded figure after scoring two or more goals in seven successive matches between the end of October and the beginning of December. The last time City suffered such a run of lapses was in 1963, when they conceded 102 league goals and were relegated.

Potential targets

The full-back role in Guardiola’s team is perhaps the most complex position in football. Suitable candidates must boast the skill of a midfielder and the intelligence of a defender. Miguel Gutierrez He is one of the few players who has a keen appreciation for the demands of this hybrid role.

The former Real Madrid academy graduate has flourished with Girona as an inverted left-back under Michel. As one of the teams under The umbrella influence of City Football GroupGutierrez’s manager has access to the precise training drills that Guardiola designs in Manchester. The CFG link will also grease the wheels of any transfer negotiations.

In recent years, Guardiola has increased his appreciation for the physical ability and ingenuity of his defenders. Barcelona Jules Conde and David Hanko Operating in both the centre-back and full-back positions, both Feyenoord players offer a unique balance of enthusiasm and guile.

When Julian Alvarez was forced to move to Atletico Madrid worth £81.5m over the summer, Guardiola hinted This will secure City’s replacement for the World Cup winner in the remaining days of the transfer window. 33-year-old Gundogan was the only player to arrive.

City’s treble-winning captain has been a shadow of his former self this season, emerging from his struggles in a team worthy of escaping relegation.

Kevin De Bruyne has rarely been spotted this season and Phil Foden himself may have been absent. The Premier League Player of the Year did not score his first league goal of the current season until December 21, scoring his consolation in defeat to Aston Villa in his 30th attempt of the season.

Potential targets

City have been optimistically linked with the Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtzbut the prolific German prodigy isn’t going anywhere in January for less than nine figures. Until then, Leverkusen He could simply refuse To lose their best players in the middle of the season.

Omar Marmoush He may not have the same hype as Wirtz, but the Egypt international has notched the same number of assists in the Bundesliga (seven) and scored almost twice as many league goals (13) as the in-demand playmaker this season. the Eintracht Frankfurt striker breaks records He has been repeatedly linked with Liverpool this season, however he would certainly be interested in the Premier League champions’ progress.

Nico PazHis modest tally of two goals and three assists should be kept in mind. The Real Madrid academy graduate operates in Como’s newly-promoted position for Cesc Fabregas, pulling the strings with a charming, almost jaded style.

A City team that increasingly seems too terrified to try anything daring for fear of the consequences – only to make a fatal mistake while playing it safe – could do with Paz’s sense of adventure.

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