January transfers, Oscar Bobb and Kalvin Phillips - Man City questions answered

Your Manchester City questions answered as our chief City writer Simon Bajkowski delves into the latest on the January window and beyond.

There's no shortage of Manchester City topics to discuss as Pep Guardiola's men look to compete in four competitions this season after the disappointment of last season. We've got every game and press conference covered for you but we also know that there is so much going on around that.

That's why we are holding regular Q&A sessions with our chief City writer Simon Bajkowski. The day of the week it comes out on may change depending on what City's schedule looks like but essentially this is your chance to get an answer on anything you want - simply comment on the Q&A article when it comes out or respond to the brand account on social media and Simon will wrap everything up in one place.

This week we are looking ahead to the January transfer window and beyond, with City looking to complete a move for Antoine Semenyo amid competition from Liverpool and United and also alive to other situations with decisions to be made on several loan players. Here are the responses and we will be back with another Q&A next week.

Hello Simon, At the moment, Kalvin Phillips’ situation looks rather bleak. Are there genuinely no offers on the table for him at all? Or is it more a case that there are options — perhaps from Saudi Arabia, the Championship, or other CFG clubs — but he is reluctant to accept them due to salary differences? I feel that, one way or another, him getting regular minutes would be beneficial not only for him as a player, but also for City if the club is looking to move him on in the future. via LeeTaxxxx on website

Hi Lee, it's not the case that there aren't offers or there are salary issues, it is more about finding the right move for Phillips after so many disappointments over the past three years. Injury stopped him from getting a move in summer and he's not been able to stay fit for all of this season. As far as I'm aware, he's got a few issues at the moment.

When he does look at moves, the longer he goes without a successful loan the more important it gets for the next one to be the right one. Clubs have to be convinced to take the punt and Phillips has to think he can get enough minutes to play his way back into form. It sounds easy for him to go out on loan and reinvent his career, yet the reality is much more difficult.

Bernardo’s deal is up in the summer, though pep talks about him being his favourite and clearly key to the team, any chance of a 1 year extension or is the club looking at who to replace what he brings? via eajw on website

Is Elliot Anderson on City's radar for the summer when Bernardo and/or Kovačić leave? via ryan99 on website

I've combined these questions as they are both on the same topic. Even if Bernardo Silva doesn't leave, the club have to plan for if he does as he enters the final six months of his contract. I think he will probably go - he said he had already made his mind up when asked a few months ago and if he was staying it would seem obvious to say that - but the club will be doing everything they can to keep him.

Elliot Anderson has definitely been looked at and is of interest looking ahead to the summer window and he showed off his talents again on Saturday. At the same time, City put plenty of time and effort into pursuing a move for Anderson's teammate Morgan Gibbs-White this year and then changed their plan late on and signed Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders instead.

If Semenyo arrives and Bobb is sold, City will still need 4 "home-grown" players (who were at the club for 3+ years before age 21) for their Champions League squad, and so Trafford, Lewis and, of course, O'Reilly and Foden are all safe from eviction. Who else from the U-21s would they bring in? And they need 4 other "home-grown" players for both competitions: Stones, Ake, Bettinelli and A N Other for both Premier League and Champions League squads. Bobb is useful as a "home-growner". via bobmcfan on website

Now you're testing me, Bob. The first four you mention do indeed qualify as homegrown players for City in each squad, so that should be fine for the rest of the season providing James Trafford doesn't get a move in January as well. In summer though, that will be tested with Trafford likely to leave and doubts over Rico Lewis as well. Divine Mukasa will qualify for next season at least given he will have spent three years at City by then, while Jahmai Simpson-Pusey or other returning loanees could help.

John Stones and Nathan Ake (and indeed Kalvin Phillips) could leave the other list, although Semenyo will be added to this group (and Anderson would as well if they sign him). City will have to be wary of these quotas, particularly the Champions League one as it is more severe, but they should be fine as usual.

Simon, any news floating around about us being linked with a possible right-wing back? Pedro Porro's name was linked with us a few weeks ago but nothing since. Do you think we're in the market for anything other than another attacking option (Semenyo)? via Maroon Blue on website

I can't see Porro coming back to City whatever the difficulties Tottenham are currently facing. I do think City are more open to the January market than they previously were, both because Hugo Viana has replaced Txiki Begiristain but also because Guardiola is more sanguine about it after seeing the improvements in the middle of last season.

Right-back is the next obvious position to strengthen, but sometimes the obvious pick isn't the right one. Nunes has made the shirt his own and the left-back that City finally signed in summer has barely played because Nico O'Reilly is keeping him out. It's hard to see City bringing anyone in - Semenyo included - without someone going the other way because the manager still does not want to vastly increase the size of the squad in the middle of the campaign and there is also a wage bill to be careful of.

Most of City's window is going to be focused on managing the rest of the squad. Oscar Bobb looks the likeliest to leave and there is plenty of interest, with Dortmund at the front of the pack. Nathan Ake could go as well though as he looks for regular football before the World Cup, and most of the loans City sorted at the beginning of the season - Claudio Echeverri, Sverre Nypan, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and more - have gone horribly wrong and will need rethinking for January.