Blues linked with moves for Southampton duo
Manchester City currently find themselves in 4th place, 7 points behind leaders Chelsea, which is a significant drop seeing as they won their first 6 Premier League games of the season under new boss Pep Guardiola. This has caused many fans to question whether Pep Guardiola’s footballing philosophy is going to work, with some saying it’s not right for the Premier League. One thing is for certain when it comes to Pep though, and that is he has so far been a success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, so he could just need more time to get things right and put his mark on the team. If the team does click, then they could certainly be a force to be reckoned with and the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool will have to be at the top of their games to make sure they stay in front. Some reports suggest Pep is currently in the market for a couple of players, just to try and get his team back to winning ways, and a few of the players linked with a move to the Etihad are linked below.
Could Joe Hart make a Return?
Joe Hart was sent out on loan to Torino at the start of the season because Pep didn’t think he had quick enough feet to play the passing game from the back that Pep has implemented into all teams he has managed. It’s a philosophy that he has stuck by and it is one that has reaped the rewards. Pep bought Claudio Bravo in from Barcelona to try and bring his philosophy to life, but he has made a few costly mistakes and he is now even linked with a return to Barcelona, possibly paving a way for Joe Hart to make a return in between the posts for Manchester City.
Will Pep Look Towards Van Dijk to Fix His Defence Problems?
Virgil Van Dijk is having a great season with Southampton in defence, and he has been linked to several clubs, Manchester City being one of them. He is certainly a player that can come in for Manchester City and give them the strength they need to keep clean sheets, but Southampton are currently insisting he is not for sale. He is valued at upwards of £40 million, but Manchester City will likely need to pay more than that if they have any chance of prizing him away from Southampton. The Dutch international is also linked with a move to Manchester United and Chelsea, and following the news on Bookmaker Ratings could be the way forward in trying to find out more about the latest transfer gossip.
Jose Fonte Wants to Leave Southampton
Jose Fonte has had a few good seasons at Southampton, and even at the age of 33, he is still able to provide some of the best defensive cover for his team. He isn’t a player that teams are going to want to pay a lot for as he likely only has a few years left in him until he retires, but Manchester City could be willing to make a bid for him if the price is right. With his Premier League experience, he could definitely come and do a job for Manchester City to ensure their season isn’t going to end in tears. Jose Fonte has already told Southampton he wants to leave the club, which would pave the way for Manchester City to offer him a contract.
The above three players are just a few of the players that could come into Manchester City right away and make a difference, and even though the January transfer window might be a difficult time to purchase them, they could definitely make the move for Virgil Van Dijk and Jose Fonte in the summer.