Pep Guardiola has discussed the ideal attributes of Manchester City’s next defensive midfielder.
City have been actively searching for a holding midfielder to ultimately succeed Fernandinho when the 33-year-old loses some of his abilities due to age, leaves the club or retires.
Who is Pep Guardiola eyeing up to replace Fernandinho? Four things to know…
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- In the summer Man City actively courted Fred and Jorginho before losing out to Man United and Chelsea respectively.
- City’s recent defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester coincided with Fernandinho being injured.
- Fernandinho has played 32+ Premier League games in each of his four full seasons at Man City.
- Pep Guardiola has confirmed City have identified up to four players to replace their Brazilian enforcer.
On the topic of City’s defensive midfield targets, Guardiola told reporters: “I think we need a guy with physicality, quick in the head and the reading of our spaces to attack – as many things he can do the better.
“It’s not easy to find one player who can do everything, with the [right] price, club and agent.
“We’ve seen many, there are three or four we are looking at, searching for that position.”
Already this month City have been linked with Lyon’s Houssem Aouar and Tanguy Ndombele as well as Wolves star Ruben Neves, although the Guardiola says the Premier League champions won’t be paying the latter’s £100m price tag.
Frenkie de Jong, meanwhile, is thought to also be wanted by Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
Man City uninterested in De Jong bidding war
Despite being one of the hottest midfield prospects in world football, it appears City will not enter into a bidding war with the likes of PSG and Barcelona.
And on the topic of expenditure, Guardiola told reporters: “We have in every position four or five or six options – depending on age, what we believe and, of course, the price.
“The most expensive signing [the club has made] was Riyad Mahrez and [at £60 million] he is far away from what the top teams pay.
“Our wage bill for the players is eighth, ninth or tenth in Europe, so there are eight or nine clubs where the wages are higher than what Manchester City pay. We try to be stable in everything.
“When we spent a lot last season, it was because the team was old but we cannot do it every season. We have a limit and cannot spend more so that’s why we need to be careful with the players and try next season to see what we can do to improve.”
The post Pep Guardiola describes Man City’s perfect defensive midfield target appeared first on Squawka News.
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