Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola Eyes Real Madrid and Barcelona Transfer Target for January Window: Reports
Reports from Fichajes.net indicate that Manchester City is keen on securing the services of Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich during the January transfer window. This move is aimed at addressing the midfield gap left by Rodri’s prolonged absence due to injury.
Pep Guardiola reportedly sees Kimmich as the ideal solution to bring balance back to a struggling City squad, which has managed only one win in their last 10 matches across all competitions. To mitigate this slump, Manchester City’s management is preparing to bolster the team in the upcoming transfer window.
Kimmich, a highly versatile player, can operate as a defensive midfielder, central midfielder, or even at right-back. This adaptability could prove invaluable for Guardiola’s tactical plans. The German international has showcased his creative prowess this season, contributing one goal and six assists in 24 appearances for Bayern Munich.
With Kimmich’s contract set to expire in 2025, Bayern Munich might consider selling him in January to avoid losing him on a free transfer later. However, Manchester City faces stiff competition from European giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, both of whom are also pursuing the midfielder.
Guardiola Optimistic About City’s Comeback
Despite Manchester City’s recent struggles, manager Pep Guardiola remains confident in the team’s ability to recover. In a pre-match press conference ahead of their game against Aston Villa, Guardiola stated (via Fabrizio Romano):
“I know we will be back. What I want is my players back, to have the squad.”
He emphasized that the issue isn’t the quality of the players but the absence of key squad members due to injuries.
Currently fifth in the Premier League standings with 27 points from 16 games, City aims to turn their season around, starting with their clash against Aston Villa today (December 21).
Disclaimer: The statistics provided are based on data from Transfermarkt as of December 21, 2024, at 9:57 AM WAT and may change over time.
