Manchester City are already planning to offer Arsenal a £20m bid for star man Alexis Sanchez in January. Following failed attempts to lure the Chilean to Etihad this summer, Pep Guardiola is adamant to sign Sanchez as soon as possible.
And the deal looks very likely at the moment after Alexis Sanchez has already declared that he wants to play Champions League. Let’s take a look at how the Manchester City lineup will look like after the inclusion of Alexis Sanchez in January.
Goalkeeper: Ederson has been in top form this season. After arriving from Benfica, the Brazilian has well and truly managed to settle himself in the Premier League. He is expected to remain City’s top choice goalkeeper for years to come.
Right Back: Kyle Walker has lived up to his expensive price tag so far. The former Spurs defender was very influential in the last few games, especially against Chelsea. He will cover the right back position ahead of Danilo.
Center Back (R): John Stones will remain as the starting centre back for Pep Guardiola’s side. The English midfielder proved his critics to be wrong, following a solid start to the season. He is expected to replace ageing defender Vincent Kompany in the long run.
Center Back (L): Stones’ defensive partnership with Nicolas Otamendi has been more than solid for the Sky Blues this season. The Argentine will continue to partner alongside Stones for the rest of the season.
Left Back: Benjamin Mendy is expected to remain on the sidelines until April. Meaning Fabian Delph will continue to represent City on the left side of the defence.
Central Defensive Midfielder: Fernandinho has been an ever-present figure in the Manchester City midfield over the past few seasons. The Brazilian will continue to feature as the lone CDM for the rest of the season.
Right Wing: Alexis Sanchez will replace Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling on the right flank. Sane has been attracting interest from Barcelona, while Sterling’s future with City remains a doubt. Therefore, it makes complete sense to deploy the Chilean on the right wing position.
Central Attacking Midfield (R): Kevin de Bruyne will feature as one of the two central midfielders for City. The Belgian’s partnership with Sanchez will be a treat to watch.
Central Attacking Midfield (L): David Silva will partner de Bruyne in central midfield. The Spanish International will be deployed in a slightly deeper role in contrast to his Belgian teammate.
Left Wing: Leroy Sane is initially expected to feature on the left flank. However, Bernardo Silva also makes a strong case to be included in the starting lineup.
Striker: Sergio Aguero will remain on the sidelines after a car accident in Amsterdam. Meaning, Gabriel Jesus will be the lone striker upfront.
Conclusion
The addition of Alexis Sanchez undoubtedly strengthens Manchester City’s offensive prowess. Replacing Raheem Sterling on the right wing position, Sanchez’s pace, power, and trickery will hand the Citizens an advantage in the final third.
Alternatively, Pep could switch this 4-1-4-1 formation to a 4-2-3-1 should he prefers to have more control in midfield by introducing Ilkay Gundogan alongside Fernandinho in central midfield. While de Bruyne and Alexis Sanchez will move to the wings, with David Silva attacking from the centre.
