Pep Guardiola is well on his way to his first Premier League title this season as his Manchester City side have been nigh unbeatable so far this season. The £200m+ spent in the summer transfer window at the start of the season could well be justified but an injury to £52m priced left-back Benjamin Mendy, might push the manager back into the transfer market for yet another full-back.
However, this time, Guardiola wants a low-profile signing, just to cover when needed and one player he is now eyeing is former Chelsea star Patrick van-Aanholt.
The 27-year old moved to England back in 2007 with Chelsea but managed just two league appearances for the Blues, spending five stints on loan at five different clubs. He made a name for himself playing at SBV Vitesse, where he spent a couple of years, breaking into the Dutch national team as well.
However, English outfit Sunderland brought him on a permanent basis in 2014 where he enjoyed a decent spell. After the Black Cats went down last season, London club Crystal Palace decided to spend on him this summer. He has eight starts for the struggling Eagles this season and will surely not be able to reject a chance to play at the Etihad.
A left-footed player who loves to spend more time in attack than in defence, Van Aanholt is an attacking full-back, who is always keen to feed crosses into the box. He is quick and smart with his movements in the final third and is an excellent dribbler, who can get past opposition full-backs with ease.
At the back, he is slightly nervy with his tackling but his understanding of the game allows him to make interceptions that can set his team to attack. He may not be the best in the air but his positional sense often sees him cover out most of the dangers inside his penalty area.
He has 10 goals and nine assists in 106 Premier League appearances to date and though none this season, he is the first choice for the current manager Roy Hodgson, at Selhurst Park. He has enough experience in the top flight and could be a decent signing, as a backup, for most teams in the country.
Espanyol star Aaron Martin and Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand are also on the shopping list for the manager at the Etihad. The English international could prove to be a better option than the Dutch international but if he is hard to get, Manchester City should not have problems spending on £12m rated Van Aanholt, to add enough cover for the busy season ahead.
