Manchester City are reportedly plotting the acquisition of a major midfieldreinforcement in January to help Pep Guardiola's side break out of their dizzying downward spiral.
The reigning Premier League champions were consigned to a demoralising 2-0 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday night. City boast just one win from their previous ten matches across all competitions, comfortably the worst run of Guardiola's glittering managerial career.
While their ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages are under threat and the defence of their Premier League crown almost over already, the Cityzens could turn to the winter transfer window as a solution.
The Times report that City are eyeing up Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes, Real Sociedad's talented academy graduate Martin Zubimendi, Atalanta's Ederson and Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.
All five midfielders have wildly different skillsets and are entangled in contrasting contractual situations, but they do have one thing in common: they won't come cheap.
UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League phase 6Bayer 04 Leverkusen v FC Internazionale Milano
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz is an ambitious target for Man City / ANP/GettyImages
Zubimendi is expected to be one of the more affordable options, yet the Arsenal and Liverpool target will still set City back around £50m if they can convince him to leave San Sebastian. Arne Slot failed to lure the 25-year-old defensive midfielder away from his boyhood club over the summer, but Zubimendi is thought to be more open to a move in 2025.
While the Spain international is the most similar profile to City's absent star Rodri, Bruno Guimaraes has regularly operated at the base of midfield for Premier League rivals Newcastle United. The Brazilian has been a long-term target for the club and even spoke with Guardiola during a summer of intense speculation. The Times claim that Guimaraes is "open" to a transfer, but whether City would be willing to trigger his £100m release clause remains to be seen.
Any move for Wirtz would likely have to be delayed until next summer. The attacking midfielder is being chased by a host of elite clubs, including Real Madrid, and would cost around £85m.
Ederson and Wharton are also being monitored by City, who could be about to embark upon their busiest January transfer window since the early years of Sheikh Mansour's reign.
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