Manchester City are looking for midfield reinforcements in the January transfer window, with Adam Wharton and Martin Zubimendi on their radar.
The Premier League champions are struggling in both their title defence and their challenge for the Champions League, with five defeats and a draw in their last six outings across all competitions.
Integral midfielder Rodri has been ruled out for the season due to a serious knee injury, which is a significant part of the problems for City.
This has not been helped by his replacement in central midfield, Mateo Kovacic, picking up an injury on international duty for Croatia and now also out of action.
Despite the expensively assembled and very successful squad, Pep Guardiola is now short in midfield and is looking to strengthen in that area in January.
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The Daily Mail report that Crystal Palace’s Wharton and Real Sociedad’s Zubimendi are two players City are keen on.
Wharton is believed to be on Arsenal’s radar as well, while Liverpool tried to sign Zubimendi over the summer but he chose to stay put in Spain.
England international Wharton looks likely to leave Palace at some point, but the Eagles will not want to lose the 20-year-old in the middle of the season.
Zubimendi made it clear when Liverpool came calling that he didn’t want to leave Real Sociedad, but Manchester City are interested in testing his resolve again and hopeful they can persuade him to change his mind.
Jamie Carragher believes City will have to go into the transfer market in January if they are to turn their season around.
‘The problems they’ve got in midfield, I’m not sure you can fix them with the personnel they’ve got right now,’ Carragher told Sky Sports. ‘I think they would have to attack the transfer market in January, but that’s a problem for them because of the situation they find themselves in with the Premier League, and would that put players off coming in the middle of a season?
‘The problems they’ve got right now in the centre of midfield are reminiscent of what Liverpool had a couple of years ago, when they had Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in that role, and the legs are just gone.
‘I think the age profile of the midfield is a problem. Rodri’s won the Ballon d’Or and he’s the best in the world in that position. But his replacements – Ilkay Gundogan well into his 30s and Kovacic who has turned 30 – haven’t got great pace.
‘The other midfield players, more attacking midfield players, but Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, well into the 30s as well. So that’s a problem.’
MORE: Manchester United offered chance to sign £42m former Arsenal target in January
MORE: Paul Merson names Arsenal ‘difference maker’ who is equal to Man City star Rodri
MORE: Ruben Amorim tells Man Utd to rival Chelsea for Benfica star in transfer race
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