The 2024/25 Premier League campaign has turned into a hugely difficult one for Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side as on the pitch their form has dropped off a cliff, and off the pitch we are finally nearing the end of the 115 charge Financial Fair Play investigation.
15 games into the year, they are sat in fifth place in the table, are nine points off top spot and 53 year old Guardiola has set new, unwanted, records for consecutive defeats. Today does not get any easier for them really as they continue their preparations for the hosting of Manchester United later this afternoon in the Manchester derby.
New gaffer Ruben Amorim will be looking to celebrate roughly a month in charge by taking his fourth victory in seven matches since arriving at Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon last month, and in terms of picking a winner from a neutrals point of view, this game is wide open.
City’s form speaks for itself with only one victory in their last six matches, but United are also looking to bring to an end back to back defeats and get back to winning ways, so this game really could go either way.
With both teams looking to next month and the re-opening of the January transfer window to strengthen and try and turn their seasons around, it is being reported this weekend that City are now interested in bringing in former Red Devil, Paul Pogba.
The 31 year old French World Cup winning midfielder has been out of the game for the last year and a half after a four year ban for increased testosterone levels was reduced to just 18 months, and given that he can officially return to the game in March he will be making his own decisions about a potential destination in the January window. Although he is free to sign at any club outside of the window, he will undoubtedly have an eye on league squad caps and potential European squads as well and they are decided at the end of the window.
City would be an interesting prospect given his previous history in Manchester, but you would feel it unlikely that he would want to walk into a club struggling in the way they are, particularly given the previous ties at play. You would also have to question whether City would want to gamble on a player who has been out for that long, as they need players capable of making an immediate impact.
With the City judgement expected to be out in February, it does complicate their window as potential new signings will have an eye on the outcome and likely punishments if found guilty, but Pogba’s future may be an interesting one to follow.