Given the recent shocking results, Manchester City will definitely need reinforcements this winter, which is something the club usually does not do. But to what extent will they be able to afford it?
The good news for Pep Guardiola’s side is that they are in the clear with the law during the current PSR (profit and sustainability) period.
According to The Athletic, Man City’s current financial position is ‘fantastic compared to many teams’. Recently, the club indicated that it has earned £405 million from player sales over the past 5 years, including a net profit of £139 million last summer.
This is confirmed by publicly available data from Transfermarkt: last summer, Man City spent only £25 million on Savinho. In addition, the latest financial statements have not yet included about £100 million for the sales of Julian Alvarez and Joao Cancelo.
All of this gives the Citizens additional room to work in the January transfer market, and they will surely use it. The exact figures of the club’s budget are not yet available, but it is certain that this winter will be more active than usual for the club.
Guardiola is looking for reinforcements in almost every area — with replacing Rodri among his priorities. Moreover, the results clearly indicate the need for the previously planned ‘reset’ for the summer of 2025 right now.
Guardiola’s priority for the window is a central midfielder with the physical characteristics and mobility, as well as the technical skill that Man City players need. In addition, the club also wants to strengthen its defense and offense.
However, a panic run on the transfer market is unlikely. The club still plans to spend no more than the amount that corresponds to their assessment of the players, and will not spend just for the sake of spending. This means that we can expect short-term loan deals, although the priority will still be to sign younger players for a longer period of time instead of short-term fixes.
The whole process will still be led by Txiki Begiristain, Man City’s sporting director, who will leave the club at the end of the season. Hugo Viana, who has been working with him in recent months to ensure a softer handover, will only start after the transfer window ends.