'We have to do it': Pep Guardiola offers major transfer update amid Manchester City injury crisis
Christmas may have passed, but Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and his players are expecting gifts in the form of new signings.
City have been ravaged by injuries throughout the season, and none more shocking than Ballon d'Or winner RodriThe torn ACL has ruled him out for the entire season.
Once again City has been bitten by the bug of absences, with Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Ederson, Matheus Nunes and Juan Piedras all out of the squad for the Boxing Day match against Everton.
The five absences are added to the absences of Rubén Días, Rodri and the young talent Oscar Bobb, who suffered a broken leg before the start of the season.
Although Stones, Nunes and Ederson were expected to miss the game Everton shock, Walker and Grealish miss is cause for concern, especially considering how worn pep guardiolaThe template is in place at this time.
Remarkably, City's team against Everton marks the first time since May 2017 that at least one of Walker, Stones, Ederson or Grealish has not appeared in a Premier League match.
Fortunately for Guardiola, the opportunity to strengthen his squad is just around the corner in the January transfer window.
Speaking to Amazon Prime ahead of the clash against Everton, Guardiola confirmed that City will look to be active in the market and target multiple players.
However, the Spaniard stressed that closing an agreement in the January window “is not easy.”
“If we can, we definitely have to add players,” Guardiola said.
“We have difficulties, especially at the back, in the middle.
“That said, I don't know what's going to happen. Because in the winter transfer window it's not easy. But everyone knows it.
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“I think even the players asked us: 'Let's add some players, please.'”
Since Guardiola arrived at the Etihad Stadium in July 2016, City have traditionally not spent much in January.
He oversaw two large-money arrivals early in his tenure as Gabriel Jesus and Aymeric Laporte it came for £26.6 million and £54 million in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
Since then, the only notable signing made by Guardiola in January was the £17.7m capture of Julián Álvarez. Silver River in 2022.
City stars and Guardiola will hope any new arrival can help arrest the club's alarming slide in form of late.
Having won the last four Premier League titles, City looked like a shell of the swashbuckling team that has dominated the English top flight when they go into the game against Everton in seventh place and 12 points behind the league leaders . Liverpool.
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Guardiola's side have also won just once in their last 12 games in all competitions, their last defeat being a 2-1 result against Aston Villa last Saturday.
They will look to defeat an Everton team that has kept an impressive five clean sheets in their last six games, a run that included games against Arsenal. Chelsea and free score Brentford.
The Toffees have also lost just once in their last six games, with the only defeat being a 4-0 at the hands of manchester united on December 1st.
