Manchester City centre-back Ruben Dias has been spotted back in training after a season on the sidelines injurywith his potential return ahead of a crucial series of games.
Dias has been nursing a muscle problem for the past month, the last appearance for the club final defeat against city rivals Manchester United in mid-December. City enjoyed a mini-revival after Christmas, stringing together three consecutive victories with performances that were not entirely convincing, before falling into calamity. 2-2 draw with Brentford on Tuesday night.
City led 2-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium with less than ten minutes remaining but still conspired to come away without all three points. The reigning champions have already shipped 29 league goals, as many as Arsenal conceded all of last season.
At the time of Dias’ absence, Pep Guardiola he predicted he would be without his center back for “three or four weeks”. That tough recovery period is over and the imposing defender took part in first-team training on Wednesday with the players who did not start the draw with Brentford.
Dias’ arrival cannot come soon enough for City. The Sky Blues travel to newly promoted Ipswich Town on Sunday before venturing to the French capital for a crucial time Champions League draw against Paris Saint-Germain. Both modern European giants are flirting with the distinct possibility of not qualifying for the last 16 of the competition.
After this continental clash, City return to domestic duties with a high-flying visit Chelsea on Saturday January 25.
Guardiola has always maintained that the simple solution to City’s fragility was always going to be a return to fitness for their fleet of injured players. Dias has been sharing the treatment room with fellow central defender John Stones and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.
Apart from relying solely on the club’s medical department, City have turned to the transfer market in an attempt to strengthen their back line.
Abdukodir Khusanov is about to arrive de Lens and an agreement as well been agreed upon for Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis. The young centre-backs have a combined age of 39 and are likely to earn a sum of around £70m between them.
