by Chinners » Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:25 am
What do City need?
What do you get the side who has everything? I jest of course, but realistically there is very little for City to improve upon. Certainly in the attacking positions City are well served with all key players hitting form throughout the season.
Despite the addition of Martin Demichelis at the end of the last window, the central defensive area – while possessing depth – remains over-reliant on Vincent Kompany.
Manuel Pellegrini may also feel that the squad lacks a genuine quality alternative to either Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, particularly given the workload both have faced this season so far and will likely face over the coming months.
How much money is available to spend?
In theory, plenty should be available and if the right player is available then you feel the club will open the cheque book. That said, City spent big in the summer and had to offload the likes of Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez to ensure compliance with Financial Fair Play.
Who do you want?
The area that needs to be targeted, if any, is the centre of defence. Joleon Lescott will leave in the summer (if not sooner), Demichelis is serviceable but limited and Matija Nastasic has suffered a dip in form and one or two injuries.
The difficulty is that January is a notoriously difficult time to land quality players, given the best players are by and large at the top clubs who are battling for league titles and the Champions League.
And, of course, world-class central defenders are hard to come by – but if City could break the bank for anyone the chance to add Thiago Silva from PSG would be too tough to turn down.
What do you think we will get?
Pellegrini has kept his cards close to his chest with regards potential targets which points to the fact that he is either a canny operator (the power brokers at the club too are very inconspicuous) or the club has no intention of adding anyone in January.
You feel that City do have a wish list of players they want to target over the course of the next few transfer windows and if any became available at the last minute they would move, but the reality is that it will surely be a quiet last day of the window.
Will any players leave?
We have seen two younger players, John Guidetti and Albert Rusnak, leave on loan to Stoke and Birmingham respectively but the only first-team player linked with a move has been Lescott. Out of contract in the summer and unlikely to get a renewed deal (at least on comparable terms to his current contract) City may decide to accept a small bid to at least receive something for him.
Lescott too may see regular minutes elsewhere as the final chance to make England’s World Cup squad but unless City can bring in a replacement he will remain at the club until the end of the season.
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Manchester City are in talks with Porto over signing their star duo Eliaquim Mangala and Fernando.
French defender Mangala, 22, is rated among the hottest prospects in European football and is understood be valued at around £35million.
Fernando is available for much less, with the 26-year-old Brazilian midfielder out of contract at the end of the season.
Porto were keen to keep hold of the duo until the summer but their changing financial situation means they are ready to cash-in now and City have pounced.
The signings would be another remarkable statement of intent by Manuel Pellegrini’s side, who spent more than £100million last summer.
The centre-back has been linked with several clubs throughout the transfer window, but now appears likely to remain with the Premier League leaders
Lescott explored the possibility of leaving this month to play more football in a last bid to force his way into England's World Cup squad.
City were prepared to let him go and Besiktas, West Ham and Fulham all showed interest.
Tottenham were also linked with a move for the former Everton defender.
However the centre-half has decided to stay at City until the summer when he will leave on a free transfer.
Although the 31-year-old has made just seven Premier League starts, he has played five times in the cups this season and could end the campaign with a couple more winners' medals as the Blues chase the quadruple.
Manchester United could find themselves in a tug-of-war with derby rivals Manchester City on the final day of the transfer window over Porto defender Nicolas Otamendi.
According to reports from Duncan Castles, The Red Devils have lodged a £12.3 million bid for Porto’s central defender Nicolas Otamendi, but the Portuguese club have yet to make a decision whether to sell him.
The 25-year-old has been at Porto since 2010 and was a key member of Andre Villas-Boas’ side that won the treble.
However, Manchester United’s bid for the player is largely complicated by Manchester City’s attempt to sign another Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala.
According to reports from The Times, City are prepared to dish out a sum, more than 30m for the French defender, but Porto intend to retain him for the rest of the season.
The Times further reports that if City fail to reach an agreement for Mangala, they will switch their attention to Otamendi which could further complicate the situation.
Manchester City believe they have uncovered the heir to former captain Vincent Kompany with the signing of Ruben Dias from Benfica - so could he be the player to fix their defensive problems?
Portugal international centre-back Dias, 23, has joined Pep Guardiola's side for £65m in the wake of City's humbling 5-2 defeat by Leicester City on Sunday.
The 2018-19 Premier League champions finished 18 points behind winners Liverpool last season in their first campaign following club legend Kompany's departure.
City lost nine league games last term despite suffering only six defeats combined across the two previous title-winning campaigns - and six in Guardiola's first season in charge in 2016-17.
Dias has impressed in three years at Benfica, for whom he made 137 appearances, earning selection for Portugal's 2018 World Cup squad at just 21.
But is he the answer to Guardiola's concerns at the back?
Why City spent £65m to land Dias
It is no secret that signing a right-sided central defender has been a priority for Guardiola ever since Kompany's departure left a significant void in City's defence in May 2019.
The failure to secure an immediate replacement for their former skipper was, after all, seen as a major part of City's failure to challenge Liverpool for the title last season
Guardiola frequently opted to use midfielder Fernandinho as a central defender over Nicolas Otamendi - who has moved to Benfica in a separate deal - and England's John Stones, while injuries have limited Aymeric Laporte to 15 league appearances since August 2019.
Sunday's defeat was unchartered territory for Guardiola, however, as it was the first time in his 686-game career as a manager that one of his sides had conceded five goals. It was also the first time in 438 home games that City have shipped five.
Speaking on City's poor defensive display against Leicester, Match of the Day 2 pundit Darren Fletcher said: "It is just basic defending but the gaps between each member of the back four were too big and there was a lack of communication.
"It looked like a back four that had never played together before - which it was - but it also looked like a back four that was lacking experience - which it definitely wasn't."
'Leader Dias is one of the best'
Ruben Dias statistics: Dias has played 35 times for Benfica since last August, scoring three goals and making 2,319 passes with a pass completion of 88.75%
Dias played 35 times for Benfica since last August - more than any current Manchester City centre-back - scoring three goals and making 2,319 passes with a completion rate of 88.75%
Replacing club legend Kompany, who led City to a first top-flight title since 1968 during his 11 years at Etihad Stadium - eight of which he spent as club captain - is a daunting prospect for anyone.
But Dias has already demonstrated leadership qualities far beyond his years.
Having captained Portugal's Under-19s at the 2016 European Championship, he went on to lead his nation at the U20 World Cup the following year before earning his senior debut at 21 in May 2018.
Now a regular starter, he already has 19 caps to his name and started in his country's Nations League final triumph against the Netherlands last summer.
Speaking on his compatriot's qualities, former Premier League manager Carlos Carvalhal told BBC World Service that Dias "is a leader", a "balanced, strong player" who maintains "100% concentration".
"It is why he played in the Benfica first team at 19, 20," he added. "He is a different character to [Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder] Bruno Fernandes, for example, because he is a defender - Dias is more effective talking to the people around him and he understands what the manager wants.
"After [a match], because he is so concentrated, he is always talking with his colleagues about how to be more effective. I think he will be great at Manchester City.
"Comparing the qualities and age of the boy, I think he is one of the best centre-backs at the moment."
Has Guardiola stumbled upon the right man?
Napoli's Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly, 29, was Guardiola's top target, however City were not prepared to pay his £80m price tag - nor were they willing to meet Atletico Madrid's £78m valuation of Uruguay international Jose Gimenez, 25.
Having also ruled out Sevilla's Jules Kounde, and with one week of the summer transfer window remaining, all roads led to Dias.
At six years younger than Koulibaly and cheaper than Gimenez, Dias offers a long-term investment - with time very much on his side if he hopes to emulate Kompany's decorated stay, which included four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
His legacy at Benfica was evident as, after captaining and scoring for his side, he embraced his team-mates at the end of his final game on Saturday.
Dias' Portugal team-mate Jose Fonte told TalkSport: "Ruben is one of my favourite young centre-backs. He's only 23, but he shows great maturity.
"He has a great work ethic. He wants to learn, he wants to improve. He observes the great defenders, he's interested in knowing the game. It's a great acquisition for Manchester City. They're getting a top, top player who wants to get better and that's very important."
However, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, pundit Chris Sutton warned City's new big-money signing will be under intense scrutiny and pressure to instantly deliver in the Premier League.
"He has to come and prove himself and hit the ground running," Sutton said.
"It's going to be difficult for him because the scrutiny on him will be unbelievable. For his sake - and Manchester City's sake - you have to really hope that they've really done their due diligence on him and he's going to play well from the start - because you can imagine, if he misplaces a pass or someone dribbles past him, someone will say he's a waste of money.
"City have put themselves under pressure with the manner of their defeat against Leicester. There will be scrutiny and people will be looking and comparing and asking how City are going to touch Liverpool this season. If City want to win the league they must keep clean sheets, defend strongly and do it quickly."
Dias is the latest City recruit to have started life in Benfica's Seixal academy, but unlike compatriots Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo he won't be afforded a season to bed in.
Since Kompany's departure in 2019, City have needed an authoritative, combative, right-footed centre-back and the defeat by Leicester showed they cannot wait any longer.
Dias was not City's first choice. They wanted the finished article but, with their relationship with Napoli irreparable after the Italian club sold Jorginho to Chelsea in 2018, a deal for Koulibaly for less than £70m always looked unlikely.
This may prove better business though. Dias is six years younger, cheaper and offers City the opportunity to offload Otamendi, 32, at the same time.
Koulibaly's form has fluctuated a great deal depending on his defensive partner, while Dias has proven himself as a consistent performer in the three years since breaking into the Benfica first team, as well as a leader - which City sorely need.
Manchester United have opened talks with Barcelona about signing France forward Ousmane Dembele, 23, on loan. (Mirror)
Tottenham are closing in on a loan deal for Benfica's 25-year-old Brazilian striker Carlos Vinicius, who has an £89m release clause in his contract. (Mail)
The agent of Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic, 22, says the Serbia international wants to join Manchester United, with Inter Milan and Roma also interested in his services. (Star)
Liverpool are set to accept a £23m offer from Sheffield United for 20-year-old English forward Rhian Brewster.(Sun)
The Reds are also set to benefit from former midfielder Philippe Coutinho's Barcelona lifeline, with a further £4.4m due if the 28-year-old Brazilian makes another 14 appearances. (Mirror)
Manchester United have denied speculation linking them to signing 23-year-old England international Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who can play in defence and midfield, from Arsenal. (Manchester Evening News)
Chelsea could add to the players leaving the club by offloading Spain defender Marcos Alsonso, 29, Germany centre-back Antonio Rudiger, 27, and England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 24, prior to the transfer window closing. (Star)
Arsenal are in talks about loaning 21-year-old French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi to Marseille. (Telefoot, via Express)
The Gunners have also been boosted in their pursuit of 22-year-old French midfielder Houssem Aouar from Lyon, with the club's president Jean-Michel Aulas admitting they may "lose two players" before the deadline. (Metro)
Newcastle United are set to rival Valencia in trying to sign 26-year-old Juventus and Italy defender Daniele Rugani, who has also been linked with Fulham, West Ham and Sevilla. (Sportitalia, via Football Italia)
Roma's latest offer for Manchester United and England centre-back Chris Smalling is for £10.9m plus £2.7m in add-ons and is being considered by the Old Trafford club. (Mail)
Aston Villa are in pole position to sign highly-rated 15-year-old centre-back Kerr Smith from Dundee United. (Dundee Telegraph)
