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Wednesday evening, Pep Guardiola couldn’t pull his hair. But the Spaniard suffered scratches on his head and face after his team’s new failed outing in the Champions League. While the Mancuniens led 3-0, they were caught by Feyenoord Rotterdam. Enough to annoy the 53-year-old technician, who has many problems this 2024-25 season. Indeed, the Skyblues infirmary is full and precious elements like Rodri are missing. In addition, some players at his disposal are not playing at their best level, like the returning Ilkay Gündogan or even Kyle Walker.
The thorny issue of the transfer window
For several days, the British press has indicated that the former FC Barcelona coach and his club are impatiently awaiting the next transfer window to make the necessary adjustments to their squad. This Friday, Guardiola spoke about it at a press conference. “The transfer window? I understand that you think I have to rebuild everything in the transfer window. I don’t agree. Three years ago we were champions and runners-up in the FA Cup. Football life is changing rapidly. The only question that seems like an excuse is that the squad is really good but we don’t have a team. It’s not just Rodri, it’s a lot of players. We must rebuild, yes. We don’t have any players. We are playing six weeks without four defenders and two defensive midfielders. »
He added: “it’s more difficult, all managers defend their quality. We work with the players we have. The players are coming back little by little and I hope we can stay together for a long time.” Yet, The Athletic explains that City leaders, who were wrong last summer because they did not want to rebuild their team and were waiting until 2025 to do so, will have to change their plans in January. According to the English media, strengthening the midfield will be a priority. Rodri’s absence showed that he was irreplaceable for Guardiola. Moreover, The Athletic evokes the possibility of positioning itself on the market for goalkeepers and that of attackers, to find a backup to Erling Haaland after the departure of Julian Alvaréz to Atlético de Madrid last summer. Finally, the purchase of a right side by this summer will also be studied.
Doubts about the future of several players
The English champions will also have to settle several important issues, in particular those concerning players at the end of their contract in June 2025, i.e. in approximately a year and a half. And there are several in this case in his group, like Ilkay Gündogan (34 years old). Same thing for Kevin De Bruyne (33), who is among the items likely to be sold by next summer. His name is also mentioned on the Major League Soccer side. He was also quite vague about his future this week. “For now, I still prefer to improve and see how I am, and everything else will come. I’m not really obsessed with things at the moment. I know people are going to ask me about it, but I can’t say much, there hasn’t been a lot of talk, so I’m good, I’m happy, I just want to play good again football, and the future – we will see…”
Like him, Kyle Walker (34) arrives at a turning point in his adventure with the Citizens. Under contract until 2026, he is no longer as essential in the eyes of his club, he who is having difficulties on the pitch. While a departure had already been mentioned on the side of Bayern Munich a year ago, it was retained. This time, the door is not closed. It’s a bit the same thing for Ederson (31 years old), who did not have the offers he hoped for in Saudi Arabia, and for Bernardo Silva (30 years old). Both are linked to City until 2026, just like Jack Grealish (29 years old) and John Stones (31 years old), about whom the English have doubts. These
6 files (De Bruyne, Walker, Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Grealish, Stones) will give gray hairs and headaches to the leaders.
