Man City’s transfer apathy makes them most likely top-4 fall guys

The last time Manchester City rested on their laurels they were quickly displaced by their rowdy red neighbours as the Premier League champions, conceding the title by 11 points to Manchester United in 2012/13.

Perhaps it’s a little hasty to accuse Manuel Pellegrini of making the same mistakes as his predecessor, but so far this summer the champions of England have only signed defensive midfielder Fernando and a 32-year-old goalkeeper from Malaga, Will Caballero.

It’s widely believed that centre-back Elaquim Mangala is still high on the list of targets, but aside from the French international defender, no other stellar names have been mentioned in the same breath as City.

Furthermore, rumours linking Edin Dzeko – scorer of 16 top-flight goals last season – to a move away continue as do shocking tremors that Yaya Toure is angling for a move away from the Etihad.

As it stands in the betting currently, Pellegrini’s mob are favourites to retain their title at 7/4, but elsewhere the other main protagonists are all busy adding big guns to their respective armouries.

Chelsea have layed down the gauntlet by snapping up Cesc Fabregas, Kurt Zouma, 98.7 per cent of Diego Costa and are many people’s official and unofficial fav’s for the forthcoming season as a result.

No one can accuse Arsenal of previous crimes either as Barcelona star Alexis Sanchez is set to complete on a £32m move, while Mathieu Debuchy is also imminent and another big-name striker’s still likely to be added.

Liverpool’s triple-Southampton sweep appears to be nearing completion, Emre Can is in, while Benfica winger Lazar Markovic and Belgium’s teenage sensation Divock Origi are on the cusp – though Luis Suarez’s expected departure is a major blow.

With this trio expected to be stronger than before, the last thing City need is a fully-focused United side, who’ve already made marquee signings Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw, beating on the top-four door as well.

Five into four doesn’t go, and that’s discounting Tottenham totally which is possibly a little naive.

City will do well to heed a history lesson, if they are to prevent being jostled off their perch so rapidly again and potentially onto the floor this time.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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