Pep Guardiola reveals Man City transfer priority amid latest £33m deal agreement claim
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed the club’s ongoing efforts to address key weaknesses in their squad as the January transfer window heats up.
Guardiola highlighted the defensive and midfield areas as priority targets, a stance that has been reinforced by the challenges City faced during the first half of the season.
According to reports, this marks a rare instance of the Premier League champions diving into the January market for first-team reinforcements. The last such occasion came in 2018, when Aymeric Laporte arrived from Athletic Bilbao in a blockbuster deal.
However, injuries and fitness issues, particularly in the backline, have left Guardiola with little choice but to sanction mid-season activity.
Predictably, reports have linked City with multiple targets. Among the notable names is Uzbek centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov from French side Lens.
While speculation surrounding his move has intensified, Guardiola remained characteristically reserved during his pre-match press conference, responding simply, “The club didn’t announce anything,” when asked about the deal.
Meanwhile, negotiations for Eintracht Frankfurt’s forward Omar Marmoush are said to be progressing well, suggesting City are not solely focused on defensive reinforcements.
However, Guardiola clarified the club’s broader strategy, stating, “From the beginning of the season, it was at the back and in the middle, yeah. The positions up-front we are more or less OK, but at the back all season we’ve struggled a lot.”
Evidently, the injury struggles have been a driving force behind City’s transfer plans. Guardiola openly admitted, “It’s what I want [players to return from injury]! If it would’ve happened, we would not have gone to the transfer window this season, absolutely not. And we would not be in the position that we are. But we struggled all season.”
Currently, Khusanov appears to be edging closer to a move, with reports suggesting he will sign a four-and-a-half-year contract with an option for an additional year. A medical is believed to be imminent, while work permit formalities are also in motion.
Clearly, Manchester City are moving swiftly to address their vulnerabilities. With defensive reinforcements taking priority and potential attacking additions like Marmoush under consideration, Guardiola’s men are aiming to reinforce their squad depth and stay competitive in the grueling second half of the season.
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