Manchester City, by their standards, are on a dismal run of form and Pep Guardiola will be desperately working to get his side back on track in the coming weeks.
The Premier League champions have, astonishingly, lost each of their last three matches in all competitions, losing to Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, and Sporting.
Those losses came in the League Cup, the Premier League, and the Champions League, with the League Cup defeat knocking the Cityzens out of the competition.
Guardiola will need to find a way to get his team firing again, with a clash against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, and the upcoming international break may be coming at the perfect time.
It will give the Spanish boss and his coaching time a weekend off from competitive matches to discuss potential tweaks and changes to the team to improve their fortunes on the pitch.
In the longer term, Guardiola may be looking ahead to the January transfer window, which is less than two months away, to make additions to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
Manchester City eyeing Ukraine international
According to GIVEMESPORT, the Premier League giants are already eyeing up a player from Ukraine to potentially join the club at the turn of the year.
The report claims that Manchester City are keen on a deal for Shakhtar Donetsk star Georgiy Sudakov, who could come in and add to their options in the middle of the park.
It states that the Cityzens have a long-standing interest in the Ukraine international and he remains a player of interest to the club ahead of the January transfer window.
The outlet adds that teams across Europe have been keeping an eye on his development and that fellow Premier League side Arsenal are one of the other sides to have watched him in action.
GIVEMESPORT reveals that Manchester City have made recent enquiries about his potential availability, but does not state whether or not Guardiola’s team are likely to make a bid for him in January.
Last month, a report in Spain claimed that Liverpool are set to make a move for the attacking midfielder and that the Ukrainian side could demand a fee of around £29m for his services.
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One player whose minutes could come under threat if the Cityzens were to pursue a deal for the Shakhtar dynamo is Germany international Ilkay Gundogan, who only returned to the club earlier this year.
Ilkay Gundogan's form for Manchester City this season
The veteran midfielder returned to Manchester City on a free transfer from Spanish giants Barcelona, after spending just one year under Xavi at the Camp Nou.
He produced five goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona during the 2023/24 campaign, before deciding to make a return to England for a second spell under Guardiola at The Etihad.
In his first spell with the Cityzens, Gundogan racked up a staggering 304 appearances in all competitions and contributed with 60 goals and 38 assists from a central midfield position.
The German maestro, now 34, has not had the easiest of returns to England, though, with a return of one goal and one assist in 14 matches so far this season.
These statistics show that the former Borussia Dortmund star has failed to provide the regular threat at the top end of the pitch that he did in his previous stint at the club.
Appearances
9
xG
1.29
Big chances missed
2
Goals
0
Big chances created
0
Assists
1
As you can see in the table above, Gundogan has underperformed in front of goal in the Premier League this season, with zero goals from an xG tally of 1.29, which shows that he has not made the most of the opportunities that have been created for him.
Zero ‘big chances’ created in nine appearances in the top-flight, given the dominance that City have in matches, is also a poor return from the 34-year-old whiz.
He has not made enough of an impact in the final third, as either a scorer or a creator of goals for Manchester City, and that is why Sudakov could be brought in as an instant upgrade on him when the January transfer window opens for business.
Why Sudakov would be an upgrade on Gundogan
Firstly, Gundogan turned 34 last month and is heading into his final years as a player, which means that he could transition into being a squad depth option, rather than a regular in the team.
At the age of 22, Sudakov is a young talent with plenty of years left ahead of him in the game and could, therefore, be a long-term option for Guardiola in midfield, rather than a short-term fix like the German ace.
The Ukraine international’s form, domestically and in Europe, this season, including the goal above, also suggests that the potential is there for him to come in as an immediate upgrade on Gundogan in the middle of the park for Manchester City.
In the Champions League, Sudakov has produced one goal and one assist, with one ‘big chance’ created, in four appearances, matching the current City star’s attacking contributions across 14 games this season.
Appearances
11
Sofascore rating
8.05
Goals
7
Assists
2
Key passes
23
Dribble success rate
84%
As you can see in the table above, the Shakhtar youngster has been in sensational form in domestic action, with nine direct goal contributions in 11 games from an attacking midfield role.
The 22-year-old wizard, who was once described as “majestic viewing” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has the ability to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis from a similar position to the one that Gundogan plays for City.
Of course, it would be unfair to compare the Ukrainian Premier League to the English Premier League but his statistics in the Champions League, a competition the Cityzens also play in, show that he has the quality to make a difference at the top level.
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Therefore, Sudakov could come in as an upgrade on Gundogan for Guardiola if Manchester City decide to make a move for the midfielder in January.
