Manchester City: Manuel Pellegrini predicts quiet window despite talk of record move for Leroy Sane
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists the club are likely to be in for a very quiet January transfer window. City spent over £100m ($147m) revamping their attacking options in the summer transfer window with the additions of Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, but the club remain persistently connected with more options in the final third.
Schalke attacking midfielder Leroy Sane has this week been linked with a sensational move to the Etihad Stadium, one that would make him the most expensive German player in history, according to Bild.
But Pellegrini insists the focus remains on his current crop of players, telling a press conference: "Probably no one will come [during the January transfer window] and probably no one will go out."
Pellegrini's immediate attention now turns to his side's Capital One Cup semi-final first leg clash with Everton on Wednesday 6 January, which comes just four days after their 2-1 win over Watford, in which Sergio Aguero popped up with a dramatic late winner.
The Argentina international was also a starter in the 0-0 stalemate with Leicester City on 29 December and, with Wilfried Bony unavailable due to a calf injury for the Everton match, is likely to feature from the start on Merseyside.
Pellegrini has no fears over his striker playing three games in a week, however. "Sergio played three games in a week, which was no problem," he said. "The last injury was not a muscle injury, just a pain in his heel. He's fit and the best way for him to recover his best performance is to play games."
In addition to Bony, City will also be without Vincent Kompany, who remains on the sidelines after his curtailed comeback against Sunderland saw him aggravate a hamstring injury. Samir Nasri also remains an injury absentee.
"Bony has a kick in his calf so maybe he's not fit for tomorrow. In a few days more he should be fine to come back. Vincent Kompany and Samir Nasri are out.
"We'll try to do everything we can to recover our injured players as soon as we can. With Nasri it's difficult – he needs an amount of time as he's had surgery on his muscle."
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