As The Sportsman informed yesterday, Manchester City’s back-up goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has suffered a potential season-ending Achilles tendon injury during a training session earlier this week, leaving manager Pep Guardiola devoid of options should his number one stopper Ederson Moraes become unable to feature at any point over the season.
With Joe Hart off to Burnley, and Angus Gunn sold to Southampton, the 20 year-old Daniel Grimshaw now finds himself with a place on the bench for the Premier League champions for the foreseeable future.
The silver lining for City fans is the signing of highly-regarded 16 year-old goalkeeper Gazin Bazuna from Shamrock Rovers. Unfortunately however, he will only make the move next summer.
Though the transfer window is of course shut, the Football Association states that a English club can sign a player on an emergency loan or on a free deal.
The Sportsman examines 5 potential signings Manchester City could make, or who might be available come January once the transfer window opens again.
Jasper Cillessen (Barcelona)
It has already been speculated that City have already make an enquiry for the Dutch goalkeeper, who plays second-fiddle to Marc-André ter Stegen at Barcelona, but have been swiftly rebutted.
Cillessen has been at the Nou Camp since 2016; an £11million signing from Ajax.
Keylor Navas (Real Madrid)
Pushed out of a starting berth in the Real Madrid net after the €35million purchase of Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea, Football Espana suggests that City are looking into the possibility of signing the Costa Rican Navas from Los Blancos. Navas has the trait Guardiola looks for in being able to play with his feet, and unlike Bravo, is a good punt to produce a decent save now and again.
It is more likely that Navas would stay at fight for his place at the Santiago Bernabeu, rather than move over to North-West England and find himself meandering around domestic cup competitions.
With Bravo out injured, City's only backup keeper is 20-year-old Daniel Grimshaw, however, they are able to apply for an emergency loan.
Surely City don't need more help with transfers!
#MCFC
Max Grün (Wolfsburg)
Now playing for the reserve team of the Bundesliga side, Grün has been further pushed out of Wolfsburg following the emergence of Koen Casteels. Grün has made only nine appearances for the first team since the 13/14 season.
Furthermore, the man who takes the Number 1 jersey for Die Wölfe, Casteels, once touted in the same breath as compatriot Courtois, the Belgian Casteels has rejuvenated his reputation at Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. Although an unbelievable long-shot for City to aim at, this would likely be a loan with future possibility to sign, leaving Bravo’s eventual future upon return from injury in doubt
Anders Lindegaard (Burnley)
City could ask Burnley to return the favour, after selling the Clarets a £3.5million Joe Hart earlier this summer.
Former reserve goalkeeper for fierce rivals Manchester United, Lindegaard finds him further down the pecking order behind Hart and England internationals Tom Heaton and Nick Pope.
City have form in procuring a former rival keeper for between the sticks; with Peter Schmeichel and David Seaman, legends at Manchester United and Arsenal relatively, doing their community service in East Manchester in the early 2000s.
Victor Valdés (No club)
Another ex-Red, in the loosest sense of the word; could Valdés come out of retirement to feature for his former manager Pep Guardiola, for whom he helped win the historic treble in 2009 with Barcelona?
If all else fails, bring back Stuart Taylor!
