The three midfielders Man City are already looking at signing ahead of the January transfer window

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Since Rodri was ruled out for the 2024/2025 season with an ACL injury, Manchester City have been speculated to be on the lookout to add fresh faces to their midfield department.

Manchester City were seemingly satisfied with undertaking a frugal approach in the summer transfer window by signing Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer and £21 million man Savinho.

However, Pep Guardiola’s men find themselves five points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool — with difficult games to come, including Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Manchester United after the international break.

Guardiola commented on Rodri’s absence by admitting that his Manchester City side are “less strong” since he sustained his season-ending injury.

Manchester City supporters will be glad to discover that work is being done at the Etihad Stadium to bolster the side’s midfield.

• READ MORE: Man City Premier League fixture list for 2024/25 season in full

Man City transfer news: Zubimendi, Ederson and Javi Guerra shortlisted

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey initially revealed that it is unlikely that Manchester City will sign a midfielder in January.

“Personally, I still don’t think they’re going to do one in January. They’re doing the work on this. They’re going to lose [Kevin] De Bruyne seemingly next summer. Are they ready to move on from [Mateo] Kovacic? Quite possibly. [Matheus] Nunes? So they are doing the work.”

The reputed journalist went on to disclose that the three midfielders on Manchester City have shortlisted are Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, Atalanta’s Ederson and Valencia’s Javi Guerra — who are all not viewed as replacements for Rodri by the club.

“Some people say a Rodri replacement, I don’t think it’s that in any shape or form, I think they want someone else in there. I know those three have been looked at. Not only those three, they’re doing their homework.”

“But those three are very much ones they’re looking at.”

Bailey concluded: “City aren’t the sort of team to do deals in January, no value. They’re not a knee-jerk reaction team. If they do need to do something, they’re aware of the players out there and who they like.”

On Monday, it was reported that Manchester City were confident in signing Zubimendi in January.

Last month, it was claimed Manchester City were targeting Ederson to replace Rodri as well.

Liverpool were interested in Martin Zubimendi and Ederson

Interesting, both Zubimendi and Ederson have been linked with moves to Liverpool.

In August, Arne Slot admitted that the Real Sociedad midfielder decided not to head to Anfield despite the club’s best efforts to sign him in the summer.

Slot said via the Guardian Football: “I said many times already that our squad is really strong and it’s not so easy to find players that can help us or even strengthen the squad and Zubimendi was one of them to be fair. But he decided not to come and we go forward with the ones we have and those that have done very well in pre-season.”

“In the background, Richard [Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director] is trying to strengthen the squad as he can but unfortunately, Zubimendi decided not to come. He did every effort, he tried everything to bring him in but if a player doesn’t want to come, it’s obvious that he then is not coming.”

As for Ederson, Fabrizio Romano wrote in his column for Caught Offside in August that Atalanta were unwilling to sell him to Liverpool, who were keen on his signature due to the prospect of losing another important midfielder in Teun Koopmeiners — who ended up signing for Juventus.

Whether Manchester City snag either one of the pair or Guerra, who is only 21 years old in the summer will be interesting to monitor.