Liverpool rivals Manchester City have been slammed for their transfer market activity.
Pep Guardiola’s team have begun their 2020/2021 by making moves to strengthen their team with Nathan Ake, Ferran Torres and, erm, Scott Carson.
The gap-toothed veteran will once again wear sky blue, but for training only as he has joined Manchester City on loan from Derby County.
Sky Sports reported that Scott Carson will take up the third-choice position for a second season in a row as he waits for his first appearance under Guardiola.
Claudio Bravo has left the club but don’t let that fool you into thinking that the Derby man will be promoted. Oh no. American Zack Steffan will come back from his temporary spell with Fortuna Dusseldorf and faces the exciting prospect of warming the bench.
Bringing in someone with four England caps to provide an extra body in training has rightfully been criticised by rival fans, who have correctly called it the ‘most pointless signing ever.’
The fact that he qualifies as a homegrown player is probably the main criteria City were looking for in a third choice stopper, while the finances must have been nice for Derby.
The most pointless signing ever
— Callum (@CallumWill_02) August 19, 2020
It shows the priorities the club have that they couldn’t find a third choice from within their youth players. According to Transfermarkt, they have a first team squad of 34 players and have 21-year-old Arijanet Muric returning from his failed loan spell at Nottingham Forest.
They also have three goalkeepers in their U23 squad, with 23-year-old Daniel Grimshaw the oldest out of the trio. Grimshaw has come through the ranks at the Etihad and has 32 appearances for the second string.
He must see the writing on the wall for the club he’s grown up at. If City have to sign Carson to sit on the bench for two seasons in a row, what hope does the youngster have of getting anywhere near the first team?
We’ve seen Liverpool do something similar as they had Adrian as Alisson’s back-up while Irish youngster Caoimhin Kelleher as the third-choice option. If Loris Karius doesn’t earn that permanent move away from Anfield, Jurgen Klopp will be spoiled for choice.
As usual, it seems like Guardiola is happy to spend first and ask questions later.