Manchester City need reinforcements after not making summer signings, says Pep Guardiola
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hinted that the club will make signings in this January transfer window.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
LONDON – Manchester City need to invest during the January transfer window due to injury problems and a faltering English Premier League campaign, manager Pep Guardiola said on Jan 13, acknowledging it may have been a mistake to rule out signings in the summer.
City’s title defence looks all but over as they head into their league clash at Brentford on Jan 14 lying in sixth and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool having played a game more. The match kicked off after press time.
Guardiola’s side have missed Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri, who ruptured knee ligaments in September, and have suffered injuries to key defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias.
“In the summer, the club thought about (signings) and I said: ‘No, I don’t want to make any signings’. I relied a lot on these guys and thought I can do it again. But, after the injuries, maybe we should have done it,” he said.
City have not made a significant signing in January since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte for £57.2 million (S$95.4 million) from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.
Guardiola, who turns 54 in three days, would not confirm whether a deal has been done to sign Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
“The club didn’t announce anything. I don’t know,” he said.
“Rodri is impossible, but the other ones (injured players) I want back. If it would have happened, I wouldn’t be going to the transfer window this season. Absolutely not.
“We would not be in the position that we are but now we struggle all season. It’s not just Rodri, we have a lot of problems in the back four. That is the reason why the club is thinking we might do this transfer.”
After City’s 8-0 FA Cup win over Salford City on Jan 11, Guardiola revealed that Kyle Walker had asked to leave the club but he had no update on the situation.
“No news. I’m not going to add anything, no more news,” the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said.
Guardiola’s side had previously won only one of their last 13 matches in all competitions, before a welcome return to form – the Salford result was a third consecutive victory for City.
“We won three games (in a row). Before it was impossible to win one,” he said.
“Now we won three, and that helps us. But the reality is we won against a team in the last game with the difference of the Premier League and League Two (fourth-tier).
“We have an enormously difficult game (against Brentford). Thomas (Frank) and his team always create a lot of problems. They are a fantastic, fantastic team.” REUTERS, AFP
