GoodNews: Pep-Guardiola submits request to sign £58m player in January
Manchester City have submitted a bid for an “energetic” midfielder ahead of the January transfer window, and Pep Guardiola is believed to be a big fan, according to a report.
Man City struggles continue with defeat to Aston Villa
City’s struggles were underlined by their defeat at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon, falling to a 2-1 defeat after yet another disappointing display, which leaves them outside the top four in the Premier League.
Guardiola’s side have dropped off considerably this season after winning the league four years in a row, and their poor run of form coincides with Rodri being sidelined with an injury, indicating just how important the midfielder is to the team.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
In the Spaniard’s absence, Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan got the nod in central midfield yesterday afternoon, but they flattered to deceive, with the latter arguably now in the twilight years of his career.
As such, Guardiola may feel he needs to strengthen this winter if his side are going to force their way back into Champions League contention, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jamal Musiala thought to be a target, albeit and expensive one.
Now, it seems as though Guardiola has identified his main target to strengthen the midfield, with reports from Spain detailing that an opening Man City offer has been made for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, with Guardiola personally seeing him ‘as an ideal reinforcement’ in 2025.
Manchester United are also interested in the midfielder, which could drive up the price, and there is a feeling that a deal could amount to around €70m (£58m), with a swap deal also possible. City are said to be determined to beat their rivals to the 25-year-old’s signature, and the outcome of the transfer battle is likely to be known within the next few weeks.
Man City need a new midfielder
Amid links to Liverpool earlier this year, the Brazilian was lauded by journalist Bence Bocsak, who said:
Since then, the Atalanta star has kicked on even further, playing a big role in Atalanta’s successful Europa League campaign, and he has remained one of the first names on the team sheet for the Serie A side this season.
Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman celebrates scoring their third goal with Ederson and Matteo Ruggeri and completes his hat-trick
It is evident that City need to strengthen this January, with the Rodri injury exposing how reliant they are on the Spain international, and they need to reinforce their midfield with a player proven at the top level.
Ederson could fit the bill in that regard, but it remains to be seen whether City can win the race for his signature, particularly considering the ongoing legal battle with the Premier League, which could be off-putting to potential targets.
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