Manchester City might still opt to promote an internal player to replace Julian Alvarez this month, so nothing is decided yet.
Oscar Bobb is a prominent candidate, having been the standout performer during the team’s preseason tour in the United States. In City’s four high-scoring friendlies since he turned 21 in mid-July, the Norway international has provided three assists and scored two goals.
With 26 appearances last season, mostly as a substitute, Bobb seems poised for a bigger role. His strong performances without Alvarez have only enhanced his chances.
The same applies to James McAtee, who contributed two assists against Chelsea and scored in the Milan match. Nico O’Reilly also made the most of his opportunities in the other two games, assisting Bobb’s first goal against Celtic and scoring against Barcelona.
Both are anticipated to stay in the starting lineup this season, and Phil Foden is expected to take on a more prominent role compared to last season.
Among the new additions, Savinho is likely to feature prominently in the Community Shield match against Manchester United. Claudio Echeverri, who will return from his loan at River Plate in January, is also expected to make an impact.
Pep Guardiola has indicated that if a player departs, the team might consider expanding the squad. However, finding the right replacement by the end of the month will be challenging.
The manager noted that the team is likely to remain largely unchanged from last year, so don’t expect many new signings with the original £64 million budget or the funds from the sales of Sergio Gomez, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Tommy Doyle, and Yan Couto.