There seems to be an obvious target for Manchester City to add legs to their midfield in January | OneFootball

Watching Manchester City play this season has shown that they are vulnerable to quick counterattacks when they lose possession. City lacks a midfielder who can get up and down the pitch when they lose possession. Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen exploited this frailty in Pep Guardiola’s side recently to devastating effect. It remains to be seen if City will move for a midfielder who can fill that void in Pep Guardiola’s squad in January. If they were to sign such a player, the stars may be aligning for City to move for Atalanta’s midfield powerhouse Ederson according to recent reports.

With Mateo Kovacic sidelined for an extended period of time there is a case to be made for Manchester City to move for Ederson in January. He’d add exactly what City needed in midfield and could be available for a cut-price transfer fee according to recent comments made by his agent.

Ederson’s agent has shared his belief that Atalanta could sell his client in January for much lower than expected.

In quotes shared on FCInterNews, which were relayed by SempreInter, Ederson’s agent, André Cury, has shared his belief that his client could be sold for between €30-40 million in January. SempreInter reports that previously Atalanta had been demanding between €65-70 million to sell one of their most important players. Cury added, as per SempreInter’s report, that Atalanta rejected significant offers for the Brazilian midfielder last summer. He explained: “They (Atalanta) could even halve his price, to between €30 million and €40 million.”

If Ederson is available for a cut-price transfer fee, City could move to fill a hole in their midfield.

Sacha Tavolieri has reported for Sky Sports that Pep Guardiola views Ederson as an alternative to signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson. Furthermore, Tavolieri reports that Ederson could be available in January as his agent is aiming to accelerate a winter transfer.

Rather than signing one of Elliot Anderson or Ederson, it would seem that there is a case for Manchester City to sign both players. They could sign Ederson in January to cover the loss of Mateo Kovacic. Ederson would also add the attributes that Manchester City’s midfield lacks. Atalanta’s midfield workhorse covers the pitch exceptionally well and he reads the game superbly. He has the technical ability to fit into a Pep Guardiola side and he could play a role for City instantly if they moved for him in January. With Bernardo Silva’s future in doubt, City could also move for Elliot Anderson next summer and that way they’d have their options covered in midfield. Ederson and Elliot Anderson could replace Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva and Manchester City’s midfield would be set for years to come if they could pull both of those moves off.

Manchester City do lack a midfielder who can get up and down the pitch given the way football has evolved. Ederson could fill that hole in Manchester City’s midfield and he may be available in January. Whether or not City do pursue a move for Ederson in January remains to be seen, but there is a case for them to go down that route. Especially with Mateo Kovacic sidelined until February or March as Ederson could step into the role that Kovacic was expected to play this season before injury struck.