Manchester City could well have turned a corner, with a horrendous run of five games without a win having been followed by successive victories against Leicester City and West Ham United.
The Citizens were able to end 2024 on a high note, beating the Foxes 2-0 at the King Power Stadium, prior to putting four past the hapless Hammers to kick off 2025 with a bang.
The reigning Premier League champions are now unbeaten in their last three games, having also drawn 1-1 at home to Everton on Boxing Day.
There were changes made for each of those games by Guardiola, with veteran midfielder Ilkay Gundogan barely featuring in recent weeks.
Gundogan’s 2024/25 season
It has been something of a tough season for German midfielder Gundogan. After a year away from the Etihad Stadium, playing for Barcelona for a season, he returned to the club on a free transfer in the summer.
Upon his return to the club, the treble winner has certainly had a big involvement for the Citizens this term but hasn’t quite made the greatest of impacts in a Sky Blue strip. He has played 25 times in all competitions, scoring twice in the Champions League and grabbing one assist in the top flight.
Indeed, things have not worked out as smoothly as Gundogan may have hoped. At times, the German has not looked like the player he was during his first stint at the club. Earlier in the season, football analyst Umir suggested he “lacks a bit of sharpness” to his game.
The void that Gundogan is having to fill in the absence of Rodri is certainly taking its toll on him, and his teammates. City could do with reinforcements in the middle of the park, and they have been linked with some who is a similar player to the German.
Man City's midfield target
The player in question here is Juventus and Brazil international midfielder Douglas Luiz. The former Aston Villa man has struggled for regular game time at his current club Juventus, and the Mirror reported on New Year’s Day that a move for the midfielder ‘has been discussed as a loan option’.
Indeed, he has not had quite the involvement in Turin he might have thought after a £42m move. Luiz has played 12 times in all competitions, with nine of those games coming in Serie A. Perhaps surprisingly, he has played just 343 minutes across competitions for the Old Lady.
With that being said, there is no doubting the Brazilian’s talent in the middle of the park. His record for Villa is impressive given he played as a deeper-lying midfielder at times. In 204 games for the club, he scored 22 goals and registered 24 assists.
His performances were so good that football statistician Statman Dave described him as the “best box-to-box CM in the Premier League” back in February 2024. Indeed, his final season in Claret and Blue, 2023/24, definitely caught the eye with Luiz scoring nine goals and grabbing five assists in 35 top-flight games.
Similarities can certainly be drawn between Luiz and Gundogan. Firstly, if he were to sign for City, it would also be a return to the club like the German. The Juve man joined the Mancunian side in 2017, although never actually played a game.
You can also draw statistical comparisons between the pair via FBref too. Although the sample size is small, the numbers they are putting up per 90 minutes are similar. For example, Luiz has played 6.06 progressive passes and made 4.24 ball recoveries this term.
In comparison, Gundogan averages 5.65 progressive passes and completes 5.08 ball recoveries in 2024/25. They are alike in many areas of their play styles.
Progressive passes
6.06
5.65
Key passes
2.73
1.69
Tackles and interceptions
2.73
1.94
Progressive carries
3.94
2.5
Ball recoveries
4.24
5.08
This may be a fantastic deal for the Citizens to complete. Not only would they be adding quality depth to their squad in the short term, but also bringing in a similar player to Gundogan. That would reduce workload and perhaps bring out the best version of him, too.
Given it is only a loan, this seems like a smart deal for City to do, and could certainly help them get back to winning ways regularly.
Man City rivaling Real Madrid to sign "unbelievable" De Bruyne replacement
Man City could have their De Bruyne replacement primed with “unbelievable” £90m star
ByConnor HoldenJan 1, 2025
