Negredo can score the goals to fire Man City to Premier League title
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It was a lack of goals that ultimately proved the undoing for Manchester City in their failed attempt to defend their Premier League title last season, but the seemingly imminent arrival of Alvaro Negredo should prevent such a problem in the upcoming campaign.
Having been the Premier League’s top scorers with 93 goals in 2012 when being crowned champions, Man City managed just 66 last season, some 20 less than title-winners Manchester United.
Given they had the best defensive record and kept the most clean sheets, it is fairly obvious that it is in attack where Manuel Pellegrini has to strengthen if Man City are to win the Premier League at a price of 11/5, even more so now that Carlos Tevez has joined Juventus.
Negredo may not have the star name of many of the other strikers linked with the club this summer, but his record is fairly similar and if he has one defining attribute, it is that he is a penalty-box player.
Man City have enough playmakers to create chances to win matches, but a striker to score 20+ goals is really required if they are to be crowned champions again. Edin Dzeko netted the most top-flight goals for them last season with just 14.
It is expected to cost somewhere in the region of €30m to sign Negredo, who helped himself to 25 goals in the last campaign, which was more than the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Roberto Soldado.
This appears to be about the going rate for a prolific 27-year-old, especially from Sevilla where chairman José María del Nido is known to drive a hard bargain, despite the club being deep in the proverbial mire financially.
Having already brought in Jesus Navas from Sevilla this summer, it is the diminutive winger that would appear the better value for money, but goals for Negredo would somewhat justify his price tag.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
