It is clear to see the issues faced by the Manchester City squad. Injuries have decimated Pep Guardiola’s squad this season. No area of the world champions squad has been spared from the injury crisis City have had to deal with this season. The hope is that Manchester City can get their players back sooner rather than later. But the January transfer window does loom as a pivotal point in City’s season.
Looking at Pep Guardiola’s squad you can see the areas that need strengthening. Right-back is one. Another striker would be a tremendous boost for the world champions. But City’s midfield is in desperate need of a boost. Players such as Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva have shouldered a heavy workload this season. Watching them play you can see that it is catching up to them. With the January transfer window only weeks away from opening I believe there is merit to the idea of Manchester City bringing in two midfielders next month.
Manchester City’s midfield options have been severely depleted this season. The loss of Rodri to a knee injury has crippled City’s midfield. Add in the fact Kevin De Bruyne missed a sizable chunk of the season and Mateo Kovacic’s recent injury issues and City’s engine room has been decimated. The effects of this are clear to see. You only have to watch City’s recent games to see that there is no life and energy in their midfield.
Adding two midfielders next month would provide Manchester City with an instant boost. It would immediately alleviate pressure on City’s current midfielders. It was also give Pep Guardiola options to utilise over the second half of the season. Yes it would create a logjam so to speak with the size of City’s squad, but perhaps that is something that Manchester City need to do based on the heavy schedule that they are now faced with. But there is merit to the idea of City adding two midfielders next month.
But who could be the ideal pairing for Manchester City to bring in? On paper Martin Zubimendi and Bruno Guimaraes look to be the dream two signings. Craig Hope has previously reported for the Daily Mail that Pep Guardiola has Guimaraes on his shortlist of midfield targets. Pete O’Rourke has reported for Football Insider that Manchester City could blow their rivals out of the water in their chase for Martin Zubimendi. Those two players would immediately alleviate City’s midfield issues. They are both top midfielders and their games do appear ideally suited to drop into Pep Guardiola’s squad. Whether or not Manchester City decide to spend that lavishly next month remains to be seen.
There is an argument for Manchester City to bring in two midfielders next month. The case is almost compelling for them to do just that. Martin Zubimendi and Bruno Guimaraes would be the dream signings for Manchester City, although it remains to be seen if City would go that hard in the January transfer window. But adding two midfielders would immediately bolster Pep Guardiola’s squad. You get the sense that it’s a move the world champions must seriously contemplate if they want save their ailing season.