We’re heading into the weekend with some urgency as Manchester City look to get back on track against Brighton in the Premier League. After a rough 4-1 loss to Sporting CP in the Champions League, following defeats to Bournemouth in the Premier League and Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, it feels like a mini-crisis may be looming if we don’t turn things around soon.
Fans are understandably concerned, especially since the team has been struggling in Rodri’s absence, and we’re also dealing with multiple injuries. A fourth straight loss isn’t something we want to even consider, so the Brighton match is crucial.
Many City supporters are already looking ahead to January, wondering if the club will take action in the transfer market to reinforce the squad. There’s been speculation about bringing in someone to support or replace Julian Alvarez, as well as talk of adding a holding midfielder to cover for Rodri’s absence. But will City actually make any moves?
According to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, it’s unlikely City will rush into January signings, despite recent setbacks. Bailey told Manchester City News, “They don’t panic. It’s the first time they’ve lost three in a row for six years. It’s one of those where they’re happy with what they’ve got.”
Bailey points out that while injuries have had some impact, the team remains competitive in all major tournaments. “If the right situation arises, they’ll do it,” he added, referring to City’s strategy. “They’re assessing things now, and these next few weeks will be crucial in terms of injuries and squad size.”
City’s typical approach is to focus on quality over quantity, and we’ve seen that recently with the addition of talents like Savinho and Claudio Echeverri. There’s even talk of young Christian McFarlane joining from New York City, but the board will carefully weigh all options.
While it would be refreshing to see at least one new player in January, especially with the holding midfield position in mind, City often steer clear of January deals unless the circumstances are absolutely right. Guardiola prefers working with a small, tight-knit squad, so unless the right opportunity presents itself, there’s a real chance City may stick with what we’ve got.
With clubs asking for big fees mid-season, we’ve seen City walk away from deals when the prices don’t match our valuation. It would be nice to see fresh faces in the squad, but as always, City only act when the deal is precisely aligned with our needs.
