November 28th 2024.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, is feeling the pressure to strengthen his team in the upcoming January transfer window. Their midfield has been a particular area of concern, leading them to set their sights on Adam Wharton and Martin Zubimendi as potential reinforcements.
Despite being the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City has been struggling in both their title defense and their pursuit of the Champions League. In fact, their recent record has been quite dismal, with five defeats and a draw in their last six games across all competitions. To make matters worse, their integral midfielder, Rodri, has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a serious knee injury. This has greatly contributed to the team's struggles.
To add insult to injury, Rodri's replacement, Mateo Kovacic, also picked up an injury while on international duty for Croatia and is now out of action as well. This has left the team with a shortage of players in the midfield, prompting Guardiola to seek out reinforcements in that area during the January transfer window.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi are two players that City are highly interested in. Wharton has also caught the attention of Arsenal, while Liverpool had attempted to sign Zubimendi over the summer, but he ultimately decided to stay with his current team in Spain.
At just 20 years old, Wharton has already made a name for himself by earning a spot on the England national team for Euro 2024. However, it is unlikely that Palace will want to let go of such a promising young player in the middle of the season. As for Zubimendi, he had previously expressed his desire to remain with Real Sociedad when Liverpool had shown interest in him. However, City is hoping to persuade him to change his mind and make the move to Manchester.
Former Liverpool player and current Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher, believes that Manchester City will need to make moves in the transfer market if they want to turn their season around. In an interview, he stated that the team's current issues in the midfield are reminiscent of Liverpool's struggles a few years ago when they had players like Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, who were lacking in pace. Carragher also pointed out that the team's midfielders, such as Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic, are both in their 30s, which could be a hindrance in terms of speed and agility.
In conclusion, it is clear that Manchester City is in dire need of reinforcements in the midfield if they want to salvage their season. However, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to secure the players they are targeting and if they will be able to make a significant impact in the middle of the season. Only time will tell if Guardiola's desired reinforcements will be enough to turn their fortunes around.
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