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Champions League will determine Manchester City transfers – Pellegrini Champions League will determine Manchester City transfers – Pellegrini
(about 9 hours later)
Manuel Pellegrini will decide over the next few weeks whether to strengthen his Manchester City squad in the January window, with the manager stating that, should the Champions League knockout stage be reached, “we will have a lot of things to think about”. Manuel Pellegrini will decide over the next few weeks whether to strengthen his Manchester City squad in the January window, saying that he would have a lot to think about if the club reach the Champions League knockout stage.
Qualification for the last-16 of the competition depends on the outcome of the final round of Group E matches. City travel to Roma on 10 December – in which Pellegrini hopes David Silva can play following a knee injury – knowing a win offers the best chance of progressing as they are tied on five points with the Italians and CSKA Moscow. Yet the patchy form in the Champions League that has left City with only one victory has been mirrored in the league as Pellegrini takes the team to second-place Southampton for Sunday’s early game. City are third, two points behind Ronald Koeman’s side, having won two of their last four outings while losing and drawing the other games. Qualification for the last 16 depends on the outcome of the final round of Group E matches. City travel to Roma on 10 December and hope to have Pellegrini back for a game after a knee injury for a game where a win would secure progress unless CSKA Moscow win at Bayern Munich. Yet the patchy form in the Champions League that has left City with only one victory has been mirrored in the league as Pellegrini takes the team to second-place Southampton for Sunday’s early game. City are third, two points behind Ronald Koeman’s side, having won two of their past four outings while losing and drawing the other games.
Asked if he might freshen the squad by recruiting in the January window, Pellegrini said: “It’s a thing that maybe we will talk in a few weeks more. Not on this moment. We are just focused on the Premier League, focused on the game in Rome – if we continue in the Champions League we will have a lot of things to think about. But I repeat once again, you must remember we have restrictions this year – restrictions that we cannot bring in important players because we must leave them out of the squad for the Champions League. So we will see but I repeat that at this moment it is not the first priority to talk about.”Asked if he might freshen the squad by recruiting in the January window, Pellegrini said: “It’s a thing that maybe we will talk in a few weeks more. Not on this moment. We are just focused on the Premier League, focused on the game in Rome – if we continue in the Champions League we will have a lot of things to think about. But I repeat once again, you must remember we have restrictions this year – restrictions that we cannot bring in important players because we must leave them out of the squad for the Champions League. So we will see but I repeat that at this moment it is not the first priority to talk about.”
While Uefa imposed a £49m net transfer outlay for the season, City have a pot of around £30m remaining after the total summer spend of £53m on Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando and Willy Caballero was countered by the £23m brought in for Jack Rodwell and Javi García. City did not add to their attacking options in the previous window and the team has appeared stale when going forward this term. Might Pellegrini consider adding to options in this area? “We’ll think about that in two or three weeks more. In this moment we are not thinking about that because I think its important to trust in the squad that we have. We knew that we would not replace Alvaro [Negredo] because we could not replace him – he has a lot of different things why he didn’t stay here but we’ll think about that but not at this moment.” While Uefa imposed a £49m net transfer outlay for the season, City have a pot of around £30m remaining after the total summer spend of £53m on Eliaquim Mangala, Fernando and Willy Caballero was countered by the £23m brought in for Jack Rodwell and Javi García. City did not add to their attacking options in the window the team, without Álvaro Negredo who was loaned to Valencia, have appeared stale when going forward this term. Asked whether he would consider adding to options in this area, Pellegrini said: “We’ll think about that in two or three weeks more. In this moment we are not thinking about that because I think it’s important to trust in the squad that we have. We knew that we would not replace Álvaro because we could not replace him – he has a lot of different things why he didn’t stay here but we’ll think about that but not at this moment.”
While Negredo is on loan at Valencia, of Silva the manager said: “He’s just starting [to kick a ball]. We hope that next week he could be 100%, at least kicking the ball with normality and we will see if he can be the squad also.” Of Silva the manager said: “He’s just starting [to kick a ball]. We hope that next week he could be 100%, at least kicking the ball with normality and we will see if he can be the squad also.”
While Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland may be too early, Silva could be in contention for the Everton’s visit next Saturday or the Roma game. Frank Lampard, who joined on loan for half a season from New York City FC, could extend the deal as the club is a sister of the champions. The manager stated the decision would also be taken next month. “December,” said Pellegrini. “When we have to make a decision, we will make a decision.” While Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland may be too early, Silva could be in contention for Everton’s visit next Saturday or the Roma game. Frank Lampard, who joined on loan for half a season from New York City, could extend the deal as the club is a sister of the champions. The manager stated the decision would also be taken next month. “December,” said Pellegrini. “When we have to make a decision, we will make a decision.”