Manchester City Faces Setback as Quest for Elite European Star Stalls: Report
On Wednesday night, Manchester City put an end to their recent struggles with a solid win against Nottingham Forest. However, off the pitch, challenges continue to loom, particularly in the transfer market.
With injury sidelining key player Rodri for the remainder of the Premier League season, multiple reports indicate that Manchester City plans to venture into the transfer market this January in search of a midfielder to bolster Pep Guardiola’s squad.
While this urgent issue demands attention, Manchester City must also find a replacement for Julian Alvarez, who moved to Atletico Madrid last summer. Having been Guardiola’s most utilized player in the 2023/24 season, his exit is potentially more significant than initially anticipated. However, the club’s search for a top-tier substitute has encountered obstacles.
Manchester City miss out on Jamal Musiala
According to Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Jamal Musiala is reportedly on the brink of finalizing a new contract with Bayern Munich, which would extend his stay at the Allianz Arena for a minimum of four years, with the possibility of five, beyond his existing contract. The report also states that he will receive approximately £400k per week.
With Musiala’s current deal set to expire in 2026, the 21-year-old could have been a target for Manchester City at a discounted rate come summer, as he would have had only a year left on his contract. Although valued at £107m by Transfermarkt, it’s likely that Manchester City could have signed him for much less.
That possibility appears to have vanished, with Musiala poised to sign a new contract extending his tenure with Bayern into his late 20s.
Manchester City showed strong interest in acquiring the German forward last summer, with indications that he would entertain a move to the Premier League if Bayern’s competitiveness came into question, following a lackluster, trophyless season.
With their unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga this season, Musiala’s worries seem to have subsided, and the team remains in a competitive spot in the Champions League. The allure of being a key player at Bayern Munich appears to have deterred Musiala from leaving his home country.
In the opinion of eScored, Pep Guardiola’s contract extension may have influenced Musiala’s decision to consider a move to Manchester, but he is well on his way to potentially being one of Bayern Munich’s greatest players if he continues on his current path.
At just 21, Musiala has many more years ahead of him at the elite level, and he may not even have reached his peak performance yet.
