Alexis Sanchez, Jonny Evans, Joshua Kimmich… Manchester City’s top five transfer targets
MANCHESTER CITY coach Pep Guardiola has very little to be unhappy about at the moment.
His side are top of the pile, comfortably clear of rivals Manchester United and playing the best football the Premier League has ever seen.
But with the January transfer window less than a month away, the Catalan has the opportunity to bolster his squad in a bid to claim domestic and European silverware.
City are light at left-back, for example, where long-term absentee Benjamin Mendy is their only recognised option and midfielder Fabian Delph has been forced to fill in.
With that in mind, our friends at Football Whispers identify the top five Manchester City transfer targets on Guardiola’s wish-list.
Alexis Sanchez
The Arsenal forward was close to moving to the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the summer transfer window but a move broke down.
Sanchez is out of contract in North London at the end of the season and talks over a new deal have stalled with the Chilean holding out for a big wage rise.
City are one of the few sides who will be able to afford the former Barcelona forward, though they will face competition from Paris Saint-Germain.
Sanchez worked under Guardiola at Barca but was never a regular during his time at the Camp Nou.
But he has moved up a level at Arsenal and would only add to City’s staggering wealth of forward talent.
Jonny Evans
The West Brom defender is not the most glamorous name linked with a move to City but the Ulsterman would add depth to an area where the Citizens lack.
John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi are Guardiola’s preferred centre-back pairing but there is little else in the way of options.
Vincent Kompany has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons and looks a shadow of his best.
Eliaquim Mangala, meanwhile, is only on the books still because City failed to secure an alternative in the summer.
Evans was an Arsenal transfer target in the summer but, despite his history with Manchester United, joining City will be a no-brainer if Guardiola rekindles his interest.
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Clement Lenglet
French defender Lenglet only joined Sevilla in January but such has been the size of his impact with the Andalusians he is now a Manchester City and Manchester United transfer target.
The 22-year-old will reportedly cost around £28m to prise away from the La Liga side and he would fill two voids for Guardiola as he can play at centre-half and left-back.
The former Nancy defender is also subject of Liverpool transfer rumours and looks destined to leave Sevilla sooner or later.
This term Lenglet has averaged 2.2 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 4.3 clearances per game in La Liga.
Inigo Martinez
Another centre-back on Guardiola’s wish-list is Real Sociedad’s Martinez who has been one of La Liga’s best for a while now.
The 26-year-old was linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium in the summer but failed to get a move across the line.
Now Guardiola could move for the Sociedad player in January having closely monitored his performances during the first half of the campaign.
And, like Evans and Lenglet, he is also comfortable at left-back, which would give stand-in Delph some competition for his place following Mendy’s ACL injury.
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Joshua Kimmich
The Bayern Munich utility man is just the sort of player Guardiola loves. He is young, versatile and eager to learn.
It was under Guardiola that the German international was brought into the Bayern side, thriving across the back four and in midfield.
Kimmich is reportedly in talks with the Bavarian giants about a new contract – with his current deal up in 2020 – but the lure of working under Guardiola again could prove hard to turn down.
Agent Uli Ferber told SportBild: “In the summer, Karl Heinz-Rummenigge came to use for the first time to discuss whether we can extend our association.
“We sat down together for the first time in the fall and will again one more time by the end of the year to lead the discussions.”