Despite possessing one of the most formidable attacking squads, Manchester City are now suddenly staring down the prospect of beginning the 2024/25 Premier League and Champions League season with a significantly thinned forward line.
Young winger Oscar Bobb suffered a fractured leg in training just days before the start of the Premier League season.
Bobb suffered the injury in a freak non-contact incident during training on August 14. Although it is not a "horror break", the youngster will now undergo surgery and will be out of action for three-to-four months.
Speaking at his media conference ahead of Man City's Premier League opener against Chelsea, boss Pep Guardiola confirmed the bad news.
"We are so sad for him," Guardiola said. "Not because of his incredible pre-season, that doesn't matter, but because any time there is a long injury."
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The Norway international has been the standout performer for Guardiola’s side during pre-season, scoring against Celtic and Chelsea in City’s four-match tour of the United States.
The 21-year-old produced another dazzling showing during last Saturday's Community Shield clash with Manchester United, which Guardiola’s side won on penalties after Bobb assisted an 89th-minute equalizer from substitute Bernardo Silva.
"He has something unique; be stopped then go, first one or two steps, right or left are unbelievable," Guardiola said of Bobb after his weekend display. "The goal, how he turns and make the cross, huge quality. He has incredible values and work ethic. He has the ability to do it and he can do it more regularly."
Julian Alvarez’s $104 million (£82m) departure to Atletico Madrid freed up a space in City’s forward roster that looked like being Bobb's to grab as a player comfortable playing across the front line.
Bobb joined City's youth system in 2019 and has been slowly integrated into the first team since. Last season he made 14 Premier League appearances totaling 295 minutes, while racking up an additional 216 minutes across four Champions League games. His first senior goal, a last-gasp winner at Newcastle United in January, proved to be a key moment in City's run to a record-breaking fourth consecutive English title.
City begin their Premier League campaign away to Chelsea on Sunday. Their specialist wide attacking options for that game could be just Jeremy Doku and new signing Savinho, after Jack Grealish missed the Community Shield with a minor injury.
Silva and Phil Foden shared right-wing duties for much of last season but both prefer to play centrally, and England international Foden only returned to training this week following his deep Euro 2024 run.