This market will be different for City. They know it in the Premier, in Europe and in the rest of the world. Guardiola arrives at the winter window with unfinished business and that could cause an earthquake of enormous dimensions. The last two months of the Manchester team have been the worst of the Pep era. Many defeats, too many games without winning and the feeling of having lost the aura. However, in his 500th game as City coach the team regained its winning ways. With that momentum the market opens and Pep wants to sign. “We need help in some positions, I didn’t expect that the center backs wouldn’t last the entire season. We will need help in defense and in the center of the field, but the market is not simple,” he said in his last public appearance.
The fact is that in the summer, City tiptoed through the market. While the rest spent millions to reinforce themselves, those from Manchester only made one outlay, Savinho formerly of Girona, belonging to Troyes, for just over 25 million. Money that did not come from the group because the French club is under the same ownership as City. The rest of the reinforcements were left to recover Gundogan at zero cost and some loaned back. Nothing else. In fact, his market was positive when he sold Julián Álvarez at the last minute for 75 million euros to Atlético de Madrid. Having just won the Premier League again, Guardiola trusted what he had and it didn’t give him any. That and the shadow of the sanction that hovers over the head of the Manchester club for breaking the rules of English fair play.
However, the poor results return City to the market and they land strongly. They still have money to spend and Guardiola wants at least three players. A central defender, a defensive midfielder and a wide player. The injuries (Rúben Dias, Akanji, Aké) have left them very affected, especially in the rearguard and Pep wants signings. Rodri is a separate case. His absence will be definitive for this season and City has noticed it. Losing the Ballon d’Or is too much and Guardiola wants a player who can act as Rodri immediately. For that you need to use your checkbook and City is going to do it.
The arrival of City, which needs reinforcements to compete in the Champions League and the Premier League, ruling them out would be a mistake, coincides with Real Madrid’s presence in the winter market for the first time in recent years. Ancelotti’s team is willing to make an effort to sign a right-back and Trent Alexander Arnold (who is out of contract) is the one chosen. The white team has not gone to this market for many seasons, in fact the last time they signed in winter was with the arrival of Brahim in 2019.
