With all the talk of potential arrivals supposedly on their way to the City of Manchester Satdium in January, there was always going to be speculation as to just who would be leaving to make room.
One defender seemingly on his way out is England Under-21 regular Nedum Onuoha, for whom Paris St-Germain, Blackburn Rovers and Fulham are prepared to pay £4 million when the transfer window re-opens in a week or so.
The 22-year-old has made just two starts this season, after breaking into the City side as a highly-rated youngster three seasons ago. He has struggled to hold down a regular first-team spot though, and is yet to rack up a half-century of senior games for the Citizens.
Ironically, this could be the weekend that Blues boss Mark Hughes turns to Onuoha in an attempt to remedy the defensive problems City have suffered in recent weeks. The City manager is under increasing pressure after his side have slumped into the relegation zone after a string of unsatisfactory performances.
"We have been compromised recently because we are not been doing the fundamentals as well as we should and that is something that we have to put right on Boxing Day," declared the Welshman yesterday.
"Every management job in the Premier League is a challenge and a huge responsibility but I know my work ethic and that of my staff will turn the current situation here around.
"We know what we do will work but it takes time to change the mentality of a club. When we do, we will be successful over a sustained period.
"Patience and continuity are vital along with a realisation of where we are as squad. We have frailties and on occasions those will be exposed but what we have got to do is make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction. As I have said before, there is a frustration among the supporters because of where we are and how it is going for us and I fully understand that.
"We all just have to be strong and make sure that the situation we are in at the moment does not go on for any length of time. We'll be working hard to make sure that we are ready for Hull City when a win will make the table look very different."
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