Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has disclosed that the club will to sign a new striker during the January transfer window.
Guardiola’s side won 1 – 0 on Saturday against Southampton but the Spaniard acknowledged that his players were still failing to score.
Gabriel Jesus missed Saturday’s win, which lifted City up to seventh in the Premier League table, after taking a knock to the face during training on Friday.
Whereas, Sergio Aguero, who recently recovered from a knee problem, returned after illness as a substitute in last week’s home draw against West Brom, but did not feature at St Mary’s due to an undisclosed issue.
Owing to the misfortune which surrounds Pep Guardiola’s choice upfront, the former Bayern boss has rued out possibility of signing a new striker in the coming transfer windows.
Guardiola said: ‘No I don’t think so because the economic situation around the world is what it is. All the clubs struggle – we are not an exception.’
City have scored only twice in their last three league games and Guardiola admitted it will be difficult to close the eight-point gap between his side and leaders Liverpool given their current form in front of goal.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘We’re struggling, our momentum up front isn’t good. We are creating clear chances that we cannot score and when this happens we are always going to suffer.
‘That’s why I’m not able to say how we will be this season. Game by game is the only thing I can do and now we go to London to play Arsenal in the Carabao Cup.’
Raheem Sterling turned home Kevin De Bruyne’s 16th-minute cross at Southampton, but City spurned several second-half chances.
‘Our position is we’re trying to win games, to be up there as quick as possible and (to be) as close as possible to the top of the league,’ Guardiola said.