Although Manchester City aren’t necessarily struggling at the back this season, you can’t help but feel they’d be even stronger if they had another world class centre-back to stand in when Vincent Kompany isn’t available and to partner him when he returns. City do have Martin Demichelis, Matija Nastasic and Joleon Lescott, but the latter is expected to leave in January.
This has sent the newspapers outlets crazy because they’re now producing rumours daily on centre-halves that could join City in January. Anyway, I’m buying into this journalism hysteria by producing a list of players that could be brought in.
1. Eliaquim Mangala
The F.C Porto star has a lot of hype surrounding him and plenty of top clubs in Europe apparently chasing him because of his current talent and potential talent. He has been churning out fantastic performances for Porto week in and week out which has attracted strong interest from Chelsea who are reportedly going big for him. All City need to do is trump Chelsea’s offer which could happen if they want him badly enough.
2. Sergio Ramos
Reports have come out of Spain in the past week or so which have suggested that Carlo Ancelotti may do business with clubs if they start the bidding war in excess of £60 million. It’s a price tag which may put off many clubs but City are ridiculous when it comes to spending something could happen.
3. Pepe
The cheap and perhaps the more available option in the grand scheme of things, but he will still give City that fear factor. Pepe is an absolute nutcase but still talented and that’s something which people seem to forget, Pepe is actually still a good defender – otherwise he wouldn’t still be playing for Real Madrid and Portugal. City may well be better off going for Pepe instead of Ramos.
4. Ezequiel Garay
City may well go after this player because they are well aware that Manchester United have been tracking him for years now and there wouldn’t be a better feeling than snatching the player from under the noses of their rivals. But there is more to the potential interest than just beating your rivals in the pursuit and that is the fact that the player is extremely solid and could give City plenty of steel at the heart of the defence.
5. Mats Hummels
The Borussia Dortmund man has actually been a player continuously linked with a move to either Manchester club and for good reason. The Dortmund centre-half came within a whisker of Champions League glory last season after proving to be a crucial player in the German’s sides adventure.
6. Giorgio Cheillini
The Juventus star is just a couple of seasons away from earning that legendary status at the club, if not then certainly sooner. At the club since 2005 which could mean that the player rejects the advances of City instead of the club but it’s expected that Juventus will as well. But the modern game is very much money motivated, so you never quite know which players have a price tag until a random club decides to make a move for him.