After finally putting an end to a run of one win in 13 games by defeating Leicester City, Manchester City could now be dealt a double blow in the form of departures with clubs in Saudi Arabia reportedly eyeing a double January swoop.
Man City transfer news
Sat outside of the Premier League’s top four and on course to miss out on Champions League qualification, the January transfer window is more important to Manchester City than it has been for a long time. The Citizens simply must welcome reinforcements if they are to drag an ageing squad back towards success whilst they still can.
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Victory against Leicester at least took Pep Guardiola’s side back to winning ways, but their performance was far from convincing as Savinho’s first Premier League goal and Erling Haaland’s return to the scoresheet sealed the points.
Now, with the transfer window open, the Premier League champions should be one of the sides to watch. Names such as Martin Zubimendi have already been mentioned on the incomings front, but it’s not just arrivals that Manchester City could be left to focus on.
Recent reports have indicated that Kevin de Bruyne is closing in on a departure away from The Etihad with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season and clubs in both the MLS and Saudi Arabia already circling around his signature. In that regard, however, he’s not the only one.
According to Caught Offside, Saudi clubs are now plotting a bidding war to sign Kyle Walker, who may be shown the exit door at Manchester City this month following a disastrous campaign so far.
Al Nassr, Al Ahli, and Al Ittihad will all soon reportedly attempt to bid around €12-15m (£10-13m) to secure Walker’s signature, but it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to lure Manchester City into a January sale.
Man City must replace Walker this month
Whether he heads for the exit door or not, Manchester City should replace Walker as early as this month. There’s no doubt that he’s been a great servant to the club, but he has also gone from one of their many strengths to their greatest weakness at a time when the need for reinforcements is greater than ever under Guardiola.
Described as “unique” in the best of ways by Guardiola in 2023, Walker is no longer the player that he was – the treble-winning right-back that he became. And City should recognise that.
Just who arrives to replace their captain remains to be seen. Names such as Jeremie Frimpong have threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks and with a long month ahead, the Bayer Leverkusen could quickly emerge to become a serious option for those at The Etihad.