2014’s prolific striker one option to salvage Man City’s crisis

When Manchester City allowed Alvaro Negredo to leave for Valencia on loan this season it always seemed like a decision that left the defending Premier League champions a little light up top.

Last season, with the Spaniard one of a quartet of goal-getters available to Manuel Pellegrini, the Chilean was able to handle injuries to the likes of Stevan Jovetic and Sergio Aguero reasonably comfortably.

With only three men under his employ this term though, the 6/4 title hopefuls have come unstuck with the entire trio sat in the physio’s room at the same time.

With the January transfer window now flung open for business, Pellegrini could well be tempted to bolster his attacking stocks in order to avoid a further match with James Milner as his central striker.

Here are three he may want to consider:

Wilfried Bony – Swansea

The Ivorian was the leading scorer during the last calendar year, bagging himself 20 goals during 2014 and outperforming the prolific Aguero in that regard.

Bony could well be reaching the point in a player’s career where he yearns to test himself in one of the bigger clubs and would rival Edin Dzeko and Jovetic for the second spot on Pellegrini’s pecking order.

Christian Benteke – Aston Villa

Like Bony, the brutish Belgian could well have had his fill of bottom-half football in the top flight and would likely jump at the chance to move to the right end of the table at the Etihad.

Benteke hasn’t been the healthiest of players this season though and that injury record could well count against him as the City boss looks for salvation from a crocked set of strikers.

Jermain Defoe – Toronto FC

Defoe’s switch to the MLS hasn’t been as successful as he would have liked, despite scoring 12 goals in 17 games for the club in his debut year.

His attitude was questioned by the club’s president and an exit looks certain this January. Should City only want a short-term option, taking the former Tottenham striker on loan would certainly appeal.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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