Manchester City seem to be working diligently behind the scenes to identify the players they need to strengthen their ranks in the summer.
Hugo Viana has been tracking Morgan Gibbs-White as a potential signing in the summer transfer window as City seem set to sign a number 10 to help replace Kevin De Bruyne.
Manchester City admire Xavi Simons as well and the RB Leizpig midfielder is another potential option to take De Bruyne’s place in the squad.
In the full-back area as well, Manchester City are ready to sign Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus to the extent that they are prepared to double the wages he earns at Juventus.
Pep Guardiola might be excited by how ambitious Manchester City seem months ahead of the transfer window.
Pep Guardiola says Man City don’t need to sign a new centre-back
Guardiola lauded Omar Marmoush’s instant impact at Manchester City and he will be hoping that Hugo Viana can sing players who can adapt to his style of play as quickly as the Egyptian forward has.
Having rebuild squads previously during his spell at Manchester City, another squad rejig is not unchartered territory for Pep Guardiola.
But ahead of the Sky Blues’ upcoming contest against Aston Villa, Guardiola revealed that City do not need to sign a new centre-back due to their strength in depth at the back via the club’s official YouTube channel: “Yeah, I like him [Josko Gvardiol at centre-back], especially with the build up, with the left [foot], is fast, is so fast going in behind. I think Ruben [Dias] and him as persons, they are so generous, they talk a lot and especially Ruben and I think they are doing a really, really good partnership so it’s an option. I don’t think the club needs central defenders because we have a lot and we bought two young [centre-backs in Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis].”
“But we’ll see, the importance is having a player who can play there, can play left-back and that is so important for us.”
Pep Guardiola’s transfer update is great news for one defender
Pep Guardiola has a point as Manchester City have seven centre-backs on their roster — Ruben Dias, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis.
But Guardiola’s latest revelation is great news for John Stones, who Manchester City were considering selling and had apparently even instructed to look for a new club.
The same applies to Nathan Ake, who in theory, seemed like one City player whose head would be on the chopping block due to his persistent fitness issues but it seems like he could be given a second chance at the Etihad Stadium.
