City have been fantastic this season, having won seven consecutive league games and have lost just one of their last 16 league games. With Chelsea in a slump, Manchester City and Liverpool are starting to have more advantages in the table. For Guardiola and his players, both in the Champions League and in the Premier League, they have faced a pretty good situation this season, and the team is expected to break through in a two-tier situation. Especially for the team's coveted Champions League title, Manchester City is bound to fight for it.
From the perspective of the team's performance, the main reason why Manchester City did not come up with their best form quickly in the opening stage of the season is that their scoring ability in the forward line is not ideal. Although there are not many people in the Manchester City forward line, and Gralis, Jesus, Mahrez, Sterling and others are at the top level, the team lacks a player who can send the ball into the opposing goal. The performance of the above players in terms of passing, strategy, etc. is unquestionable, but in the final attack, they did not do well. Sterling, in particular, the once most expensive player in Manchester City, has always been his biggest shortcoming in terms of shooting ability. The lack of forward scoring ability has led to Manchester City being in a "no-point" situation on the pitch for many times, which directly affects the team's performance.
Fortunately, as the season progressed, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan and others showed excellent form, and they largely took on the responsibility of attacking the city for the forward players. Bernardo Silva has scored seven of his opponents' goals in 16 league games, averaging 0.44 goals per game, which is quite a rarity for a midfielder. More importantly, as a technical player, Bernardo Silva was able to run tirelessly on the field and bring great help to the team at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends. Gundogan's performances have also been outstanding, the 31-year-old German midfielder has scored three goals and three assists in 12 games, and his interspersed strategy in midfield and excellent scoring ability have made him an indispensable part of the team's midfield.
However, for Guardiola, relying on midfielders to take on the responsibility of scoring goals is not a long-term solution, and Manchester City still needs a world-class goalscorer to sit in the forward line. As captain of the England national team, Kane has seen an almost cliff-like decline in his performance this season, scoring just one goal in 13 league games, which seems very fortunate for Manchester City, who once almost signed him. Otherwise, after spending up to £100 million on transfer fees and providing him with a high-paying contract, If Kane continues to be unable to get back in form, City will face a very difficult situation. As it stands, Kane appears to have been removed from City's list of reinforcements. In terms of the operability of reinforcements, Fiorentina centre-forward Vlahovic may be a more ideal choice. This season, Vlahović has scored 15 goals in 17 league games. Sources say Newcastle are interested in bidding €100 million for the promising goalscorer, but the latter wants to go to a team that can play in the Champions League. This is good news for Manchester City.
While signing up for the centre-forward position, some of City's wingers who can't get enough playing time seem to be ready to leave. Sterling used to be the closest to leaving the team, but as his form showed signs of picking up, his chances of leaving had diminished significantly. In its place was Ferran Torres. Felan Torres has only made five appearances in the Premier League and Champions League this season due to injuries, and Barca, who are interested in strengthening their forward line, have always been interested in signing him. The transfer looks like the dust has settled. According to Spain 6, Barca have agreed with the 21-year-old right winger on his personal treatment and a transfer fee negotiation between them and Manchester City has also reached an agreement. It is reported that Barca will pay a transfer fee of 55 million euros, which includes a floating clause of 5 million euros. This transfer will be completed during the winter break.
In addition to Ferran Torres, Barca are also looking to strengthen the centre-forward position. With Aguero retiring, Luc de Jong was completely unable to adapt to the team's tactical system, so Barca needed a higher-caliber striker. According to transfer expert Romero, Barca have put United striker Edmundi Cavani on the list of signings and will try to sign the Uruguayan international with excellent scoring ability in the winter transfer window. This season, Cavani has had very limited opportunities in the team due to his own injuries and other reasons, which also makes him feel bad. Barca have already offered Cavani a one-and-a-half-year contract, and if Cavani moves to Barca during the winter break, he will receive a salary of €3.5 million for the next half season. Next season, Cavani's salary will be €4 million, plus a floating clause of €1.5 million. (The picture comes from the Internet, if there is infringement, please contact to delete)