PEP GUARDIOLA is poised to enter the January transfer market for the first time in SEVEN years as he seeks to address Manchester City’s troubling decline.

Guardiola is expected to have considerable resources at his disposal after the reigning champions earned over £250 million from player transfers in the past two years.

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Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad are on City’s radar following Ballon d’Or winner Rodri’s season-ending ACL injury.

The champions have faced a difficult stretch, suffering defeats in seven of their last ten games, with injuries impacting their performance during a tough six-week period.

They plan to assess the market when the window reopens next month in an effort to save their faltering season.

City acknowledges that acquiring esteemed talent during the winter transfer window can be challenging, not having made substantial signings since centre-back Aymeric Laporte’s arrival in 2018.

The board is prepared to back Guardiola if the right player becomes available at a fair price.

Bruno is reportedly eager to join City, though persuading Newcastle to part with one of their key players mid-season will be a formidable challenge.

This summer, his club valued him at £100 million, an amount City deemed excessive, even as his current form does not justify that valuation.

Zubimendi had been on Liverpool’s radar earlier this year but opted to stay in Spain; he is now more amenable to offers.

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The management at Etihad has consistently aimed to approach transfer windows with foresight, but a series of injuries has left the squad stretched as numerous matches lie ahead.

Meanwhile, City’s underwhelming performance in the Champions League has already cost them nearly £6 million.

‘I won fair and clean,’ says Jose Mourinho as he responds to Pep Guardiola’s comments

They face an additional potential £9 million loss if they fail to progress to the Last 16 in the upcoming New Year.

The revamped league structure awards teams £1.7 million for a win and roughly £600,000 for a draw.

Rival Liverpool have thrived, earning the maximum revenue from their six league games played thus far.

Conversely, City has managed only two wins—against Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Prague.

They have drawn with Inter Milan and Feyenoord while suffering losses to Sporting Lisbon and Juventus, jeopardizing their chances of advancing.

Historically, under Guardiola, City has easily navigated the group stages, winning all six matches last year.

This season, however, they currently sit in 22nd place in the table and will need to secure points in their last two games next month to avert a humiliating early exit.

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What will happen to Man City?

MAN CITY began the season as the anticipated favorites for the Premier League title again – however, a serious issue looms that could impede the Etihad giants.

Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the upcoming months might look like with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….

Custis: So the pressing question – will there be a conclusion this season?

Lipton: Yes…. likely! It will take at least a month to sift through the evidence. I expect a result to emerge around March or April, but that’s where matters begin to get complicated.

Custis: What makes it intricate?

Lipton: If the outcome favors City, the case will be closed. They will be cleared and face no repercussions.

However, if City is found guilty, the consequences would entail unprecedented penalties enforced by the Premier League.

I suspect that if they are deemed guilty, they may face expulsion from the league or endure a significant points deduction along with a hefty fine, preventing them from participating in the Premier League next season.

Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.