Manchester City are entering an unprecedented period of difficulty under Pep Guardiola. With a lack of additions to the squad this season, a rash of injuries and a disappointing run of results, the Citizens now face their biggest rebuilding challenge in a decade.
Man City have always been masters of succession and replacement, often preparing for transfer windows up to 18 months in advance. Saying goodbye to the likes of Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho has never put them off. However, this season has seen a squad depleted both physically and mentally, paying the price for delaying renewal.
A series of recent transfer blunders have compounded the situation. A failure to add quality in the summer has left City in their biggest crisis under Guardiola, with just one win in their last 10 games. Long-term injuries to Rodri and Phil Foden have made things worse.
Midfield is the biggest area of concern for the Citizens at the moment. Rodri's absence has exposed a gaping hole in the defensive midfield position. The likes of Ederson and Martin Zubimendi are being considered but convincing them to join mid-season is not going to be easy. Meanwhile, Kalvin Phillips seems to be out of Pep Guardiola's plans.
In addition, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes have not shown a clear impact since joining Man City. This also raises big questions about the ability to regenerate vitality in the midfield for the Etihad team. The "Blue Half" of Manchester is very regretful about selling young talents like Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia - who are shining at Chelsea.
In attack, the over-reliance on Erling Haaland has become apparent as the Norwegian star has failed to maintain his devastating scoring performance as in the past two seasons. The sale of Julian Alvarez has also left Man City lacking a quality backup option in the centre-forward position. Now, The Citizens can activate the buy-back clause for Liam Delap - a striker who is playing well at Ipswich, or look for another striker to support Haaland.
In defence, Man City have some of the best players in Europe. However, the injury crisis has left Pep Guardiola short of options. Centre-backs like John Stones, Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias are often injured, while Kyle Walker is 34.
Man City's board is considering recruiting Jarrad Branthwaite or Marc Guehi to refresh the defense. In addition, Alphonso Davies is also the name targeted for the full-back position.
Despite facing many difficulties in terms of squad and form, an important factor that can help Man City overcome this period is the presence of Pep Guardiola. The Spanish strategist has just extended his contract until 2027, showing his commitment to the club and readiness to face the current crisis.
The 53-year-old admits the current squad needs a lot of changes. Guardiola believes the tight schedule and seasons that stretch into the final stages of major tournaments have left players unable to maintain their form. However, rebuilding will be difficult if financial and legal issues are not resolved properly.
City have a huge financial advantage, with a £336.5m profit from player sales over the past five years and a further £160m from the summer transfer window. But the case over 115 allegations of financial misconduct remains a shadow over the club’s stability.
Man City have undergone three major rebuilds under Pep Guardiola. This time, building a 4.0 version of the team will be the biggest challenge, requiring agility, precision and determination from all levels of the club.
