While Manchester City wait on the diagnosis of Sergio Aguero’s injury, what options do the club have available to them if the outcome is not ideal?
On the face of it, a 3-2 home victory for Manchester City was the perfect opening day result – a perfect nod back to the side’s thrilling win over QPR at the climax of last season.
Underneath there was some more unpleasant news, with the injury suffered by star man Sergio Aguero as early as the 13th minute.
As soon as he went down you could tell it was a serious one, and knee injuries are often game changers – Just ask Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic who saw his 2011/12 end as early as November.
Right now it is unclear as to the exact length of time Aguero will be out for, with manager Roberto Mancini commenting post game that he would know within 48 hours.
At the club, contingency plans will already be being drawn up in case the worst case scenario is announced that the tricky Argentine is out for six months or more.
So what are they?
First off, City are hardly light in attack with Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez. It is hardly the catastrophe which would be if Chelsea suffered an injury to Fernando Torres or Tottenham Jermain Defoe.
Even so Mancini will want to make sure he has a fourth striker ready as a replacement, especially with title rivals Manchester United adding Robin van Persie to their attack.
If Aguero is found to have suffered a serious knee injury, then it may have happened at a good time – If there is ever a good time for such an unfortunate circumstance.
Why? Because the transfer window is open, and there is a fortnight left to take action if they have to.
Do they have to? This could be the chance young John Guidetti has been waiting for. The 20-year-old was outstanding on loan at Feyenoord last season and many have called for him to be handed a chance up front at the Etihad.
At present it seems, or seemed at least, that a loan move was most likely. Italian sides Lazio and Siena have been linked, along with both Sunderland and Newcastle in the Premier League.
This is a risky option for City in case it turns out he is not ready yet, but if they are serious about the Swede they will have to give him a go sooner or later.
The most unlikely possibility, yet one still available to them is embarking on a dramatic U-turn and utilising Emmanuel Adebayor. The striker scored 17 goals last season on loan at Spurs and can clearly do a job. Roberto Mancini has made climbdowns from previous stances on Tevez and Balotelli so don’t entirely rule it out if the club are unable to find a taker for him.
Far more likely is the option for City to go and buy a new striker. Roberto Mancini has been itching to splash the cash all summer with Jack Rodwell the only addition so far. He may have missed out on Van Persie but there is still time to add a new face.
Fiorentina forward Stefan Jovetic was linked yesterday and the versatile attacker could be a perfect fit for City’s fluid formation – but he would require big money.
A replacement for Aguero may well be sitting at Manchester City – but Roberto Mancini will be far more inclined to go out and buy a new one anyway.
The perfect solution of course is that he makes a quick recovery and they do not have to replace him at all.
What do you want City to do if Aguero is out long-term?
image: © Mafue
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