Manchester City
Man City splashing £86m on this prodigious La Liga star would buy them a perfect Sane replacement
Why Man City should sign Ousmane Dembele to replace Leroy Sane
According to claims from Spanish outlet El Desmarque, as relayed by the Daily Star, Man City have been linked with a sensational swoop for Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele, who is on the verge of an exit from Camp Nou.
Having established himself as one of the most sought-after young talents in Europe at Borussia Dortmund, Dembele arrived at Barcelona in the summer of 2017 for £135.5m, but injuries coupled with a lack of regular playtime haven’t really allowed him to live up to his potential in Spain.
The 22-year-old, who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France last summer, is keen to secure an exit from Barcelona in January in a bid to resurrect his career, and Pep Guardiola is willing to offer him an escape route. (El Desmarque h/t Daily Star)
The arrival of Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid and the emergence of teenage prodigy Ansu Fati have eaten into his game time and the Catalan giants are expected to entertain offers of around £86million for the French international during the mid-season trading period. (El Desmarque h/t Daily Star)
Dembele accumulated 8 goals and 5 assists in 29 La Liga appearances last term, 20 of which came as starts, but the talented winger has been restricted to only a couple of league starts this season, with manager Ernesto Valverde constantly overlooking him since his return from injury.
The 21-cap Frenchman still has a contract at Barcelona until the summer of 2022.
To put things into perspective, Man City’s links with Ousmane Dembele should come as a piece of welcome news to the fans on the blue half of Manchester, with the Citizens yet to sort out the future of star winger Leroy Sane, who is out of contract in 2021.
Sane, who boasts of eye-watering returns of 39 goals and 45 assists in 134 appearances for the Cityzens across all competitions, has been instrumental in City’s last two Premier Leauge triumphs.
However, with the German international stalling over a new deal and his rising stocks attracting interest from Bayern Munich (h/t Metro), Guardiola could be forced to dip into the market for a replacement.
The former Schalke man has missed the opening quarter of the ongoing campaign with a long-term injury and while that could potentially rule out a January transfer, Man City would be wise to open the door for an exit next summer in a bid to make a profit from his sale.
That, in turn, would make it a lot easier for the Citizens to stump up the cash required to complete a swoop for Ousmane Dembele, who looks like a tailor-made replacement for Leroy Sane, who is stalling on signing a new contract (h/t Sun).
In fact, the Frenchman’s ambidextrous nature coupled with the versatility to play out wide on either flank could possibly make him a more useful asset as compared to Sane, who is largely restricted to playing down the left-hand side of the pitch.
Verdict
Dembele might have struggled to live up to the hype at Barcelona but he continues to be an incredible talent and Pep Guardiola, who is a genius when it comes to extracting the best out of young players, has every reason to fancy his chances of transforming the Frenchman into a world-beater.
Raheem Sterling was young and raw when he came through the door at the Etihad from Liverpool and Guardiola has cast his spell to transform him into one of the most prolific wingers in the world.
With the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and Sterling already at the club as accomplished wide players, Guardiola would be able to ease the 22-year-old into action, something which he has done so often over the years to make the process of acclimatisation a lot easier for the new signings.
More Man City News
- Why Man City must keep hold of Raheem Sterling amidst Real interest
- Why Man City should snap up Florinel Coman as a long-term prospect
- Why Manchester City should go all out to sign Rodrigo Bentancur
All in all, Man City completing a move for Ousmane Dembele could be the dawn of a new generation of stars at the Etihad and one that could possibly go a long way towards helping the Citizens preserve their status as the undisputed superpowers in English football for years to come.
Manchester City
Manchester City WFC Defender Joins Glasgow City on Loan Until End of Season as 19 Year Old Seeks Regular First Team Football in Scotland
Glasgow City have announced the loan signing of Codie Thomas from Manchester City until the end of the 2025-26 season. The 19 year old defender signed her first professional contract with the Women’s Super League club in December 2024 and now heads to Scotland seeking regular first team minutes.
This is a smart loan move for Thomas, who has made four appearances for Manchester City, including one in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. She made her senior debut against SKN St. Pölten during the 2024-25 season and has since featured in both the WSL and Subway League Cup.
Following Khiara Keating’s Pathway
The defender also gained senior experience while on a dual registration deal with AFC Fylde. Khiara Keating completed the same pathway early in her professional career, which suggests Manchester City has a clear development plan for their young prospects. This is exactly the kind of structured approach that helps talented teenagers progress to an elite level.
After signing for Glasgow City, Thomas said, “I’m really excited to be here, go out there, get some minutes, and show everyone what I am about. The game in Scotland is really interesting, and every match is going to be tough. It’s a really good league to come into and to play in.”
Celtic Debut Beckons for Young Defender
Head coach Jane Ross praised the new arrival. “She’s an energetic player who is composed on the ball and works hard out of possession, and has already gained senior experience in England and in the Champions League. As we enter a crucial part of the campaign, Codie’s arrival adds more competition and quality to the squad.”
Glasgow City currently sits top of the Scottish Women’s Premier League standings after 16 games played, five points clear of Celtic in second place. Thomas will be eligible to make her debut against Celtic at Petershill Park on Sunday, February 8th, in what would be a massive baptism of fire.
Also read: Manchester City WFC vs. Chelsea WFC: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
Manchester City Women host reigning champions Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in what could prove to be the decisive match in this season’s WSL title race.
The Citizens currently sit nine points clear at the top of the table after 13 matches, with the Blues desperately needing a result to keep their fading hopes alive.
City left it late in last Sunday’s 2-1 victory over London City Lionesses as Khadija Shaw struck an 86th minute winner to maintain their remarkable form. Andree Jeglertz’s side have won 12 of their 13 league matches this season and boast a perfect home record with seven wins from seven at the Etihad.
Kick-off: 14:30 GMT, Sunday, February 2, 2026
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
City Closing In on First Title Since 2016
This match represents a huge opportunity for Manchester City to effectively end Chelsea’s title challenge before February even finishes. The Citizens are the WSL’s highest scorers with 36 goals from 13 matches, including an incredible 21 goals across their seven home encounters.
Jeglertz remains without defender Naomi Layzell and attacker Mary Fowler due to hip and knee injuries respectively. Aoba Fujino could return to the matchday squad after missing the last five matches, while USA international Sam Coffey is likely to get more minutes off the bench.
Blues Facing Uphill Battle
Chelsea’s hopes of claiming a seventh consecutive WSL title are quickly fading after dropping points in five of their 13 league matches. Sonia Bompastor’s side suffered a damaging 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal last weekend, leaving them nervously looking over their shoulder at Manchester United just two points behind in fourth.
The Blues remain without Kadiesha Buchanan, Nathalie Bjorn, Niamh Charles, Catarina Macario and Mayra Ramirez. Keira Walsh is in contention for a starting spot after returning from injury as a substitute against Arsenal.
Predicted Lineups:
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Yamashita; Casparij, Rose, Knaak, Greenwood; Blindkilde, Hasegawa; Kerolin, Miedema, Hemp; Shaw
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hampton; Bronze, Girma, Bright; Carpenter, Walsh, Cuthbert, Baltimore; James; Kerr, Thompson
Chelsea
Sonia Bompastor Vows Chelsea WFC Will Fight Until the End for WSL Title Despite Nine Point Deficit to Manchester City After Arsenal Defeat
Sonia Bompastor has insisted Chelsea will “fight until the end” to defend their Women’s Super League title despite sitting nine points behind leaders Manchester City with just nine games remaining.
The Blues face a must win trip to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday following Saturday’s damaging 2-0 home defeat to third placed Arsenal.
Chelsea have been crowned WSL champions in each of the past six seasons but their grip on the trophy is slipping rapidly. Bompastor initially conceded the title race was “probably” over after the Arsenal loss but has now backtracked on those comments ahead of the crucial Manchester City clash.
Sonia Bompastor: Blues No Longer in Control
“Our mentality is to fight until the end, no matter what happens,” Bompastor explained. “The only thing is right now we are not in control, and the most important thing is we need to focus on what we can control. Man City are top of the table and in control.”
This is frankly damage limitation from Bompastor after her defeatist comments on Saturday. Nine points is a massive gap with only nine matches left, and Chelsea desperately need a result at the Etihad to keep any realistic hopes alive.
City Boast Incredible Form
Manchester City have been phenomenal this season, losing just one league game from 13 fixtures. That sole defeat came against Chelsea on the opening day, while the Blues also edged a tight 1-0 League Cup semi final victory earlier this month thanks to Wieke Kaptein’s goal.
City boss Andree Jeglertz confirmed that Aoba Fujino should be available after training fully, adding crucial squad depth for the title run in. Sunday’s match could effectively end Chelsea’s title challenge if they suffer defeat.
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