January Transfer Window: 5 Reasons Neven Subotic Could Go to Manchester City

Neven Subotic of Borussia Dortmund in UEFA Champions League action against Manchester City
Stu Forster/Getty Images

Manchester City are looking to add new depth to their central defense this January whether they want to or not.

While the absence of Vincent Kompany has been avoided and the club are glad to have seen him escape his red card after it was overturned, the club have to look at that potential crisis as a warning that they need more first team central defenders.

According to the Mirror, Manchester City are looking to try to pry away one of Borussia Dortmund's two star center halves before the end of January. 

Both 24-year-old's, Neven Subotic and Mats Hummels are two of the hottest properties on multiple club's want lists, but can Manchester City get one, and why could they be forced to at least try to splash their cash in hopes of Dortmund accepting.

Vincent Kompany Red Card, Crisis Averted or Foreshadowing

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Vincent Kompany's red card against Arsenal has seen the central defensive crisis at Manchester City go into overdrive. Despite it being rescinded, how bad would it have been without him?

At the current moment, without Kompany available the club would only have Joleon Lescott and Matija Nastasic as available first team players who have been truly entrusted with any responsibility this season.

There are multiple youth players that Manchester City have great faith in, such as Karim Rekik and Dedryck Boyata, but none of these options look like the ideal replacement nor are they ready for the EPL week in and week out.

Kolo Toure in Africa

Clive Mason/Getty Images

In addition to the absence of Vincent Kompany, the most veteran of the Citizens central defenders, Kolo Toure, is away in Africa with the Ivory Coast national team and would not have been there either way the decision went.

Once more, the depth issue would have come into play for the Citizens. We will discuss that further in the following slide.

No Experienced Depth in Central Defense

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Roberto Mancini truly seems to appreciate his first team players. However, despite the fact that he has a great set of up and coming defenders, he appears to be devoid of the capacity to truly give them a go.

Karim Rekik (pictured above), Dedryck Boyata and Ryan McGivern have all had experience as a central defender and could be a great three to four game solution in a mixed capacity.

But with the current, rarely give youth a chance policy of the Italian manager, the club has handicapped its own depth chart by not allowing the up and coming youngsters the chances to shine that they need to truly grow into the first team.

The Forced Need for Ready Made First Team Players

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Due to the poor misuse of promising youngsters, Manchester City are forcing themselves into needing to purchase rather than relying on homegrown talent more often.

The addition of 24-year-old Neven Subotic from Borussia Dortmund would see Roberto Mancini get the youthful exuberance he wants for longevity, but his time with the German Champions has already made him ready for the first team from the moment he arrives.

More Affordbale Than Mats Hummels

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Perhaps the most important piece of the potential Neven Subotic transfer is that he is the more affordable of the two star Borussia Dortmund defenders.

While every manager in Europe would love a chance to sign Dortmund's star German international defender Mats Hummels for his mixed bag of defending and attacking skills, his new contract with the club over the summer of 2012 has made his value go up even more so than being part of two straight German league titles.