Manchester City strengthened their squad in the January transfer window with more than £180million invested in Pep Guardiola's side. City's spending was the second-biggest outlay ever by a club worldwide in the winter, behind only Chelsea's £274m spend in 2023.
The first area City were keen to bolster was in central defence. Abdukodir Khusanov, 20, joined from Lens for £33m and Vitor Reis, 19, was signed from Palmeiras for £29m to bolster the back-line. This followed an attacking recruit, with Omar Marmoush arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt for £59m.
It felt as though City's January business needed to finish with a central midfielder after Rodri's Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury earlier this season. And Guardiola got just that, as Nico Gonzalez made the £50m move from Porto on deadline day.
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In a survey by Manchester Evening News, City fans were asked how 'happy' they were with the club's work in the January window. From more than 1,700 responses, 38 per cent were delighted and 34 per cent were fairly pleased. 14 per cent said they were satisfied, with nine per cent slightly concerned and five per cent very concerned.
With over 70 per cent either delighted or fairly pleased at City's January business, it does feel that Guardiola has been backed as they bid to get finish the 2024/25 season on a high. In fact, 79 per cent of City fans feel that Guardiola has now been given the tools to be successful in the second half of the campaign.
Could City's January window have been better? Of course it could and there is one area that supporters feel need strengthening. That is at full-back, with 55 per cent saying that City should prioritise that position when the summer transfer window comes around in June.
Another central midfielder is the next highest priority for readers at 21 per cent, with goalkeeper at 12 per cent the third most. It's clear, however, that City fans feel they need to add another full-back to the squad - and that isn't a surprise with Matheus Nunes playing in that position over the last couple of weeks.
Kyle Walker's departure to AC Milan allowed some leeway in January but City decided against bolstering that position. They could revisit that, as Guardiola tries to further add to his squad.
