Pep Guardiola has expressed his desire to strengthen Manchester City’s squad in the upcoming transfer window by targeting a holding midfielder and a central defender.
The manager hopes these additions will rejuvenate his team after a challenging spell in the Premier League.
City End Winless Streak with Victory Over Leicester
Goals from Savinho and Erling Haaland secured a 2-0 win against Leicester City on Sunday, ending a five-match winless run for the defending champions.
The victory saw City climb to fifth in the table, just four points shy of the top four, as they concluded the year on a high note.
City’s recent struggles, marked by their worst run of form under Guardiola since his arrival in 2016, have highlighted the need for reinforcements. Injuries to key players have played a significant role in their slump.
Injuries Take Their Toll
Ballon d’Or winner Rodri is sidelined for the remainder of the season, while John Stones has featured only twice in City’s last 13 games. Ruben Dias has also missed the last three matches, further compounding defensive issues.
Sunday’s match brought some positive news, with Kevin De Bruyne completing his first full 90 minutes in the league since September. However, Guardiola remains clear-eyed about the challenges ahead.
Guardiola Calls for Squad Reinforcements
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Guardiola stressed the need for reinforcements in specific areas:
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“Kevin [De Bruyne] is back, but we need more in the middle and the back four. We’ve struggled with full-backs and central defenders. In some positions, we need help.”
“The squad is good, but the problem is we don’t have the squad [depth] right now, and that makes everything difficult.
When we’re all together, we’re the team we were, but with important players out for weeks and months, it’s so difficult.”
Guardiola acknowledged the challenges of the transfer market:
“Holding midfield and central defenders—we need help. The market is the market, it’s not easy, it’s expensive, so we will see what the club can do.”
Transfer Targets Emerge
Reports suggest City are considering Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who previously declined a move to Liverpool.
Additionally, Barcelona’s Dani Olmo is on City’s radar, with the Spanish club potentially forced to offload players due to financial constraints.
Guardiola on the Importance of the Win
Reflecting on the victory over Leicester, Guardiola emphasized its significance:
“We needed it. All of us. It was not the ideal performance, but hopefully the victories will give our mood a better position.
It’s important to win. It was tight, second half. We didn’t have enough energy to sustain 90 minutes, but hopefully in the new year we can bounce back a bit from a bad moment.”
Looking Ahead
As the January transfer window approaches, Guardiola’s focus will be on bolstering his squad to address key weaknesses.
With the race for the top four heating up, Manchester City’s activity in the market could play a pivotal role in shaping the second half of their season.
