Could David Villa Make a Short-Term Loan Move to Manchester City?

When Manchester City’s teamsheet for Saturday’s game against Crystal Palace came through, there was one tactical anomaly. While Manuel Pellegrini’s side was at near enough full-strength, James Milner was listed as City’s only designated striker. A false nine if you will.

But Pellegrini wasn’t intentionally trying to emulate Pep Guardiola. Milner’s selection as a striker for the game against Palace was made through necessity, with injuries to Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic leaving City without an orthodox No. 9 for the busy festive schedule.And so Milner played as the No. 9 against Palace, interchanging neatly with David Silva, Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas. But against better opposition, City will likely come up short should they field such a lineup again.

However, with the January transfer window set to open soon, City will have the opportunity to seek a short-term solution to their attacking injury crisis. Countless strikers will be linked with moves to the Etihad Stadium between now and transfer deadline day, but City already have a proven striker on their books.

David Villa made the move from Atletico Madrid to New York City FC of Major League Soccer in June, joining A-League side and Man City affiliates Melbourne City on loan for four matches in October.

Of course, NYC FC are a sister club of Manchester City’s, with both clubs owned and operated by the same ambitious Abu Dhabi-based owners, so a loan deal between the two teams—like the one agreed for Frank Lampard—certainly wouldn’t be outwith the realms of possibility.

Indeed, a striker of Villa’s caliber and track record would improve Man City’s attacking options, particularly at a time when Pellegrini is struggling for a designated No. 9. And with the former Barcelona and Atletico forward technically already on their books a short-term loan deal could be too tempting.

And with Lampard enjoying such success at the Etihad Stadium this season on a short-term loan deal from New York City FC Pellegrini might wish to benefit from a similar move for Villa. Yet a City loan move for Villa would set a concerning precedent for their MLS affiliates. The Spaniard is a central part to NYC FC’s plan for expansion season success, both on the pitch and in attracting new fans to their games at Yankee Stadium. Furthermore, his hypothetical absence from the franchise’s opening league fixtures would be seen as an admission of peripherality from the Abu Dhabi-based owners.

However, City have reportedly ruled out a short-term move for Villa, according to Mark Ogden of the Daily Telegraph, with Pellegrini keen on making a permanent move for another striker in the January transfer window.

Plus, Man City’s squad is currently at its full quota of non-English players for this season, meaning that a foreign player would need to be moved out in January before Villa could join. That would prove a stumbling block for City in any efforts to sign Spain’s record goalscorer.

Even if Villa stays with New York City FC ahead of the club’s inaugural MLS season, which kicks off in March, Man City will most likely need attacking reinforcements if they are to challenge Chelsea for the Premier League title this season.Latest speculation has linked City with a move for Atletico Madrid forward Mario Mandzukic, as per Jeremy Cross and Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Star, who reportedly would be available for £25 million. But whatever happens on the transfer front, their title challenge will be defined by what happens over the packed festive schedule.

“It’s not a month to win the title, but if you want to be involved for the next months you must be near the top,” explained Pellegrini after City’s win on Saturday, as per BBC Sport. “We have won six or seven games in a row and that gives a lot of belief.”

Milner might well be called upon to play his temporary No. 9 role again over the Christmas period, with Aguero, Dzeko and Jovetic still struggling for fitness, but one wonders what City’s owners value more; Man City’s title challenge or the integrity and credibility of sister club NYC FC? Whether Villa ends up in the Premier League this January will go some way to determining that.


Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2309579-could-david-villa-make-a-short-term-loan-move-to-manchester-city