Manchester Metropolis are reportedly plotting the acquisition of a serious midfield reinforcement in January to assist Pep Guardiola’s aspect get away of their dizzying downward spiral.
The reigning Premier League champions had been consigned to a demoralising 2-0 defeat to Juventus within the Champions League on Wednesday night time. Metropolis boast only one win from their earlier ten matches throughout all competitions, comfortably the worst run of Guardiola’s glittering managerial profession.
Whereas their ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League knockout phases are underneath menace and the defence of their Premier League crown virtually over already, the Cityzens may flip to the winter switch window as an answer.
The Occasions report that Metropolis are eyeing up Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes, Actual Sociedad’s gifted academy graduate Martin Zubimendi, Atalanta’s Ederson and Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.
All 5 midfielders have wildly completely different skillsets and are entangled in contrasting contractual conditions, however they do have one factor in widespread: they will not come low cost.
Zubimendi is predicted to be one of many extra inexpensive choices, but the Arsenal and Liverpool goal will nonetheless set Metropolis again round £50m if they’ll persuade him to depart San Sebastian. Arne Slot didn’t lure the 25-year-old defensive midfielder away from his boyhood membership over the summer time, however Zubimendi is considered extra open to a transfer in 2025.
Whereas the Spain worldwide is probably the most related profile to Metropolis’s absent star Rodri, Bruno Guimaraes has frequently operated on the base of midfield for Premier League rivals Newcastle United. The Brazilian has been a long-term goal for the membership and even spoke with Guardiola throughout a summer time of intense hypothesis. The Occasions declare that Guimaraes is “open” to a switch, however whether or not Metropolis can be keen to set off his £100m launch clause stays to be seen.
Any transfer for Wirtz would seemingly should be delayed till subsequent summer time. The attacking midfielder is being chased by a bunch of elite golf equipment, together with Actual Madrid, and would value round £85m.
Ederson and Wharton are additionally being monitored by Metropolis, who may very well be about to embark upon their busiest January switch window for the reason that early years of Sheikh Mansour’s reign.
