Manchester City are not renowned for panic buying and very rarely venture in to the January transfer market to improve their side.
However, with the club still battling against an injury crisis, Ballon d’Or winner Rodri ruled out for the rest of the season and currently sat five points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, they may be forced to move into the market.
The threat of City losing their battle against the 115 charges levelled against them by the Premier League also looms large, with relegation a worst case scenario punishment that could be administered.
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Nonetheless, City are still operating with a business as usual mentality and if they decide that a fresh transfer injection is what is needed to revive their season, then they won’t hesitate to make their move.
With that in mind, the Manchester Evening News have taken a look at what City’s dream transfer window could look like.
Rodri replacement
City’s season was turned on its head when Rodri was ruled out for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury.
The Spanish international is arguably City’s most influential player and when he plays, they tend to win. City felt they had enough midfield options to cover his absence but a four-game losing run before the international break may alter their thinking.
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has been linked with a move to City. The Spanish international is a similar player to Rodri and turned down a move to Liverpool in the summer.
The Reds could reignite their interest if City come calling, though, for a player who Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has said ‘all coaches would want’.
Failing that, Brazilian midfielder Ederson has been linked with City after impressing for Europa League champions Atalanta.
Neither player would come cheaply but it may be a price worth paying to fill the considerable void left by Rodri’s injury.
Haaland cover
City do not have a recognised striker to cover Erling Haaland and, thankfully, they have managed to get through an injury ravaged season so far without the Norway international picking up any knocks of his own.
However, should the nightmare scenario play out, City no longer have a Julian Alvarez waiting in the shadows to step up to replace him.
They were linked with a move with Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi in the summer to fill that void and, in an ideal scenario, they would move for a replacement forward to mitigate any damage Haaland’s absence would cause.
They have wide players who could play as a false nine. But when City tried that in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham it ended in defeat, and perhaps emphasised the need to address the situation in January.
Echeverri integration
It is a cliché to say a player already on the books of the club will ‘feel like a new signing’ but it is perhaps apt in the case of Claudio Echeverri.
The Argentina youth international midfielder joined City from River Plate in January earlier this year but was immediately loaned back to the Argentine side for the rest of this year.
He will finally move to Manchester in January and it is believed he will be integrated into City’s first team squad.
The 18-year-old attacking midfielder is seen as a supreme talent and he could provide a spark, and competition, in City’s forward areas that they have been missing so far this season.
