Manchester City’s preparations for their Premier League opener against Chelsea have been thrown into disarray due to a key departure and an unfortunate injury setback.
Already facing a challenging start without several of their first-choice stars, Manchester City have been dealt two additional blows on the eve of their clash at Stamford Bridge.
Julian Alvarez, who had a summer packed with international duties for Argentina at both the Copa America and the Olympics, was not expected to feature in the opening game. However, his sudden £64 million transfer to Atletico Madrid has left Pep Guardiola without one of his most reliable players from last season, further complicating City’s lineup options.
With Alvarez out of the picture, Guardiola now faces the task of reorganizing his attack. Kevin De Bruyne is slated to start in the number 10 role, while Phil Foden may be shifted to a more central position to cover for both De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, similar to the role Alvarez often played. But just as the reshuffling began, another setback occurred—Oscar Bobb suffered a serious injury.
In a cruel twist, Bobb sustained a fractured leg during a training session, an injury that will sideline him for an extended period. While the exact duration of his absence is yet to be confirmed, Bobb is set to undergo surgery this week, with early hopes that he might return in three months.
City will await a clearer prognosis on Bobb’s recovery before making any decisions about dipping back into the transfer market. However, with the weekend’s match looming, there is little chance of securing a ready replacement in time. The club appears in no hurry to rush into signing a new player solely in response to Bobb’s injury.
As a result of these developments, Foden may find himself deployed on the wing, filling the void left by Alvarez. Although Jack Grealish remains an option on the left flank, his availability for the Chelsea match is in doubt. This leaves Jeremy Doku, Savinho, and Bernardo Silva as potential alternatives.
In midfield, with Rodri only returning to training this week, he is unlikely to start after just four days back in action. This opens the door for a midfield trio of Mateo Kovacic, Kevin De Bruyne, and Bernardo Silva to take charge. Doku and Savinho, both of whom played last weekend, could start on the wings.
Initially, the plan for Foden, who rejoined City on Monday, might have been to ease him into the season gradually, starting with a role off the bench at Chelsea. However, the sudden depletion of attacking options could see him thrust into a leading role across multiple positions—whether up front, as a number 10, on the wings, or even in midfield.
Despite the urgency of the situation, Guardiola will be careful not to jeopardize Foden’s long-term fitness. Nevertheless, with the team’s options rapidly dwindling, any intentions to protect Foden at the start of the season may now be out of the question.
