Revealed: Pep Guardiola’s ‘FIVE-MAN wishlist to improve Man City’ as he ‘eyes up big-money midfielders and in-demand Premier League defender’ in bid to stop the rot
- Manchester City are expected to spend money during the January transfer window
- The champion is fourteen points behind leader Liverpool and is seventh
- LISTEN NOW: It all starts! New formation, some new faces, but the optimism is gone at Old Trafford
Pep Guardiola has drawn up a five-man, big-money wish list in a bid to halt Manchester City’s nightmare, according to reports.
City have won just one of their past 13 games and dropped to seventh in the Premier League, 14 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool.
As a result Mailsport understands the club are willing to spend the money to refresh their squad in the hope of bringing about a much-needed reset.
They want to get three goals next month and want a centre-back, a wing-back, two midfielders and two strikers over the next two periods.
The times have claimed that the five players Guardiola is targeting are Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes, Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.
Zubimendi is indeed admired by City and, along with Guimaraes, would help solve City’s midfield conundrum with key figure Rodri ruled out for the rest of the season.
Pep Guardiola has drawn up a five-man wish list to help stop Manchester City’s horror form
City have won just one of their past thirteen games and dropped to seventh in the Premier League
The club is open to investing money to strengthen different areas in their squad
City have previously been linked with both players, but transfers are expected to be difficult, especially in the winter period. Zubimendi ignored Liverpool over the summer and is said to be reluctant to leave Sociedad again next month.
Musiala and Wirtz have impressed in the Bundesliga but won’t come cheap with Bayern and Leverkusen unlikely to be open to selling their superstars.
Centre-back Guehi saw several bids from Newcastle worth £70m rejected by Palace in the summer after some strong performances with England at the 2024 Euros. Manchester United are also being touted to swoop in for the 24-year-old.
As reported by Mailsport this morning Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush, valued at £40m, is being considered, as is a return for Ipswich’s Liam Delap. There is also the possibility of a deal for Dani Olmo, with Barcelona unable to register him.
Talented Palace midfielder Adam Wharton also has admirers at the Etihad.
Juma Bah, on loan from AIK Freetong to Real Valladolid, and Everton midfielder Jarrad Branthwaite are seen as two defenders on City’s radar.
Guardiola made no secret of his desire to bring in reinforcements after City’s 1-1 draw with Everton, telling Amazon Prime: ‘We need to add players. Certainly. Certainly.
‘We are having a hard time, especially at the back and in the middle. I think it should, but I don’t know if it will happen. The winter transfer period is not easy.’
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has admirers at City but may not move next month
Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes is also on City’s radar, but won’t come cheap
Jamal Musiala (left) and Florian Wirtz (right) are two potential attacking options for City
Marc Guehi would also be of interest to City after impressing for Crystal Palace
The Catalan has also vowed not to walk away as he wants to change City’s form.
Speaking ahead of City’s visit to Leicester City today, he said: ‘I’ll try, I’ll keep going.
‘I won’t give up. I want to be here. I want to do it and given the situation we have, we have to do it. Of course I want it [end the run]everyone wants it.
‘I don’t want to disappoint my people in terms of the club, the fans, the people who love this club. I think we all want to do well in our work and please people.
‘There is no denying that, no question mark.
“The biggest test is to come back, but we’ve done that before.”