Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted he may have erred in advising the club against signing new players during the summer transfer window. With the team struggling in the Premier League and facing challenges on multiple fronts, City are now expected to bolster their squad in January to regain stability.
City have not made a major winter signing since acquiring Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao for £57 million in 2018. However, the club has already taken significant steps this January, nearing a £33.6 million deal for Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov, an Uzbekistan international. Guardiola is also reportedly targeting Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush and Palmeiras’ teenage defender Vitor Reis.
Meanwhile, veteran full-back Kyle Walker has been given the green light to explore a potential move abroad, marking a potential shift in the club’s roster.
Guardiola’s Summer Stance
Speaking ahead of City’s Premier League clash with Brentford, Guardiola reflected on his summer decision-making process.
“In the summer, the club thought about new signings, and I said, ‘No, I don’t want to make any.’ I relied a lot on these guys and thought I could do it again,” he admitted.
However, injuries have derailed City’s plans and performance this season. The team currently sits sixth in the Premier League and has been eliminated from the EFL Cup. Their Champions League campaign has also faltered, leaving them 22nd of 36 teams and needing a top-24 finish to secure a playoff spot.
Injury Woes
City have been plagued by injuries throughout the season, with 15 players suffering absences of two weeks or more, according to Transfermarkt. The most significant blow came when Ballon d’Or winner Rodri was ruled out for the remainder of the season. Defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias are also sidelined for the Brentford match, and Guardiola has yet to decide whether Kyle Walker will feature.
“We knew at the beginning of the season we had a lot of players over 30,” Guardiola explained. “We knew sooner or later, we’d need to address it. Step by step, we had to change.
“But five or six months ago, they won the Premier League—four in a row—reached the FA Cup final, and the Champions League quarter-finals. The amount of injuries we’ve had, I didn’t expect it.”
January Reinforcements
To stop their season from unraveling further, Guardiola and the club are now looking to the transfer market. Khusanov’s arrival appears imminent, while negotiations for Marmoush and Reis are ongoing. These moves highlight Guardiola’s intent to address the team’s vulnerabilities, especially in defense, while planning for the future.
City’s struggles this season have prompted Guardiola to rethink his earlier stance, acknowledging that relying on an aging squad and avoiding summer reinforcements may have contributed to their current challenges.
As City prepares to face Brentford, Guardiola will be hoping his existing squad can rise to the occasion while eagerly awaiting new signings to provide much-needed support in the second half of the season.