After winning the treble last season, it was always going to be difficult for Manchester City to match such high standards for a second consecutive campaign under Pep Guardiola. That said, the Spaniard may not have expected his side to endure the difficult run that they’ve recently found themselves, which has included a tricky period in the Premier League.
With Liverpool, Arsenal and surprise contenders Aston Villa all vying to steal England’s crown and prevent the Citizens from becoming the first side in Premier League history to win four consecutive titles, Manchester City are reportedly eyeing one particular January addition that could change their fortunes.
Man City transfer news
City were active in the summer transfer window, welcoming reinforcements in the form of Matheus Nunes, Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, but have since paid the price for their departures rather than reap the rewards of spending big. Without Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte, Guardiola’s side have struggled to get back to their blistering best of the last campaign and could now look towards January to replace one specific departure.
According to The Daily Star, Manchester City want to sign Club Brugge winger Tajon Buchanan in the January transfer window and have identified the Canada international as a replacement for Mahrez, who left in the summer. The deal won’t be cheap, however, with Buchanan reportedly valued at £50m by Club Brugge ahead of the winter window.
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A move is progressing.
Guardiola is reportedly desperate to reinforce his right-hand side, having played both Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva in the role this season instead of welcoming a direct Mahrez replacement in the summer. When January arrives, Buchanan could solve the manager’s problem to boost City’s title chances once again.
Buchanan can match Doku’s Man City rise
Buchanan and Doku are easy to compare prior to the latter’s move to Manchester City in the summer. Doku’s stats before life at The Etihad didn’t make for brilliant reading, with just 12 goals and 10 assists in 92 appearances for Stade Rennais highlighting his struggle for end product. Since making the move to City, however, Doku has already been involved in nine goals in all competitions. In similar fashion to the City winger’s Rennes days, Buchanan’s stats show that he hasn’t been involved in an incredible number of goals at Club Brugge this season, with four involvements in the Belgium Pro League.
Buchanan has already earned plenty of praise throughout his career too, including from former coach Bruce Arena, who told The Athletic:
“Although theoretically he was positioned as a right back he wasn’t really playing right back in those games. He’s more I would say a midfielder because he was attacking up the field. Tajon has qualities to play in a variety of positions out wide. You saw the other night with Canada he played probably as a second forward, attacking midfielder. He’s a player with a lot of qualities, both attacking and defending, and it certainly spells for a great future for the player.”
