Pep gamble and Rodri question means Man City face three January transfer questions they can't ignore

Pep Guardiola insists that Manchester City don't need to dip into the January transfer market that is rapidly approaching. Quite a lot of fans will disagree.

"Without injuries… we have a terrible squad," said Guardiola with a smirk last week. He wasn't going to get drawn into any chat about winter additions. He had previously downplayed the idea of any reinforcements due to City's injury crisis because he is not expecting the injury crisis to be a thing in January.

City currently have 11 players either injured or lacking fitness to play for their countries. Yet Guardiola's logic is that once all his players return to fitness, only Rodri and Oscar Bobb will remain out. And Bobb is slated to return in January or February.

ALSO READ: Erling Haaland fell for Man City watching me play - I had to leave but now we're team-mates again

ALSO READ: Man City given major 115 charges update as Manchester United and Liverpool launch legal challenge

So while City are down to the bare bones now, none of the persistent injuries are forecasted to cause problems for too much longer. Of those 11 players out this week, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manu Akanji, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Matheus Nunes all have a chance of returning against Tottenham next weekend. Jeremy Doku posted from the City gym at the training ground on Thursday after withdrawing from Belgium duty.

And the squad will get at least one reinforcement in the form of midfielder Claudio Echeverri, who will be given the chance to impress Guardiola in the second half of the season after his loan at River Plate expires. An extra body could be invaluable given the injury problems so far even if he won't be thrown into first team action straight away.

That won't stop questions about January signings, however. Guardiola has knocked back questions on needing support for Erling Haaland, whether City were right to sell Julian Alvarez, and if they need a Rodri replacement given he's out.

Their stance last season when Kevin De Bruyne was sidelined was simple. Any signing to replace him in the short term will create more competition than City are happy with in the long term. That same logic has been applied to Bobb this season.

Any Haaland back-up or Rodri replacement seems unlikely - unless an incredible deal suddenly presents itself. Talk of Martin Zubimendi is exciting and ticks plenty of boxes for fans, but what happens when Rodri is back next season and a £60m+ player is sat on the bench? Any such signing would be out of character for City.

New signings would also make little sense with so much still up in the air about next season. Guardiola still hasn't signed an extension so prospective arrivals won't know who they will play for past the summer. New Sporting Director Hugo Viana doesn't officially start full time until the end of the season, and there is the elephant in the room over the 115 charges from the Premier League.

There could potentially be some outgoings in January, though.

Josh Wilson-Esbrand was set for a loan move in the summer but got injured in the final pre-season friendly. He is back in training now so could eye another temporary spell away. Mahamadou Susoho saw injury halt his loan at Peterborough after just one appearance but is expected back at London Road in January.

City often evaluate loans in January too, sometimes arranging new clubs for players who have struggled in the first half of the season.

Finally, there is a tempting question about James McAtee - kept this season to support the first team but so far trusted to play just one minute of Premier League action so far despite City's struggles. He has accepted a fringe role, however he is too good to sit on a bench all season.

If that situation continues, calls for him to go back out on loan could grow - and there would be no shortage of takers in the Premier League for a player Guardiola speaks so highly of but refuses to play in any game or situation of importance.

January is set to be quiet again for City but it doesn't mean there won't be decisions to make.