They're the richest club in the world yet they find themselves flirting with relegation. They have been linked with world class footballers such as David Villa, John Terry, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure, Gianluigi Buffon, David Trezeguet and according to fresh reports are now on the hunt for Brazilian ace Kaka.
But are these the players that the side from Eastlands actually need?
A Target Man
First off, Manchester City require a target man, someone who can hold the ball up and play just in front of Robinho.
The closest player they have to a target man is Benjani. Although he is talented, he is not a Didier Drogba, Dimitar Berbatov, Fernando Torres or Emmanuel Adebayor.
Manager Mark Hughes has been focusing on bringing Roque Santa Cruz to the Eastlands this January although Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce is desperately trying to hold onto his star striker.
I think it is fair enough to say that if Man City do not buy a striker soon, they will finish a good distance away from a place in Europe.
With Didier Drogba unhappy at Chelsea, is this not a good time to snap him up? He is confined to the bench thanks to the brilliant form of the Premier League’s top goalscorer Nicholas Anelka and was recently quoted as saying that he is unhappy at Chelsea and that he feels that the other players are not treating him well.
The Full-Backs
Another position that Man City need to find a suitable player is the full-back. Newly signed England international Wayne Bridge provides a solution to the left-back roll but the right back position is still a problem.
With Zabaleta plagued by injuries it has been Micah Richards who has had to fill that right back slot. While Richards is certainly an exciting prospect and can do the job quite well, he plays his best football at the heart of the defence.
Philipp Lahm has been named as the solution to this problem but the chances of him leaving German Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich are quite slim indeed.
A Holding Midfielder
Mark Hughes’ side also needs a holding midfielder. Vincent Kompany, who is actually a centre-back, plays that role. The only true holding midfielder in this Man City side is Didi Hamann, whose best days are certainly behind him.
The most realistic target for them would be FC Barcelona's want away midfielder Yaya Toure. Liverpool star Xabi Alonso may also be available due to Benitez's fondness to play the 4-4-2 formation, with Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard preferred as the two central midfielders.
Alonso and Toure would cost at least 20 million pounds each. Ireland, who has silenced many of his critics with a scintillating start to the season, would be an ideal partner for either of these players.
A Left Winger
They also need a left-winger, a player who can beat defenders and get in crosses for their forwards to score from.
The ideal buy would be Spanish international David Silva whom Valencia may be forced to sell to balance their books. Silva would cost Man City over 40 million pounds.
A much cheaper option would be the Chelsea flop Florent Malouda, who has spent much of this season warming the bench. Big things were expected of Malouda after his big money transfer from Lyon but he has done next to nothing.
However, if managed properly Malouda will certainly shine in the Premier League.
A New Manager?
This brings us to the most important position in any top club: the manager. Is Mark Hughes the right man to take Manchester City to the top of the Premier League?
Well he hasn’t proved to be so far. Very few top managers are available at this moment.
The best available now is Roberto Mancini.
He has won everything there is to win for Inter Milan except the UEFA Champions League, becoming the most successful manager for the Italian powerhouse in 30 years.
No one really knows what will happen in the January transfer window. But one thing’s for sure: there will be signings.
Megha Mukherjee
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