The former Manchester United midfielder has again struggled with injuries, and his move to City has not worked out as hoped.
You can’t blame City for trying.
Owen Hargreaves was one of England’s best midfielders, and at 31 he should have plenty to offer.
It certainly doesn’t seem like it, and you have to wonder when Hargreaves will consider retirement.
Perhaps it is too early to write him off ‘just’ yet, but it would take a comeback not seen since Lazarus if Hargreaves was ever to get back to his best.
If his move to City had come good, it would have been a kick in the teeth for his former club United, who decided to release him.
As it is, it could be United having the last laugh, even though City’s gamble was only low-risk.
He scored on his first City start in the Carling Cup earlier in the season, giving the club great hope that they would be able to get him playing regularly.
But Hargreaves was bought with January in mind, to fill in for Yaya Toure during his African Nations Cup absence.
Hargreaves was not fit enough to play even once, and manager Roberto Mancini has admitted the gamble in signing him had backfired.
Will he play any role in the title race? We very much doubt it. All City’s midfielders remain fit and available, and the loan signing of David Pizarro pushes him even further back in the queue.
While it is only a case of ‘very little ventured, nothing gained’ for City, it is hard to imagine him still being at the Etihad this time next year.
He went to great lengths to persuade a club to take a gamble on him, even creating a YouTube video of him training, to show he was fit enough to still play professional football.
Clubs may be even more reluctant to take a chance on him this summer.
– Is it too early to write off Hargreaves or should he retire?
image: © Free-ers
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