Manchester City stance on 2026 January acquisition of new right-back revealed | OneFootball

Manchester City’s plans on adding a new right-back to their first-team ranks in the 2026 January transfer window have been revealed in a new report.

Kyle Walker completed a permanent move to Burnley in the summer, having spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan at AC Milan for regular playing opportunities after losing form and thereby his starting spot at Manchester City.

City added Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis to their defensive ranks in January to mitigate the loss of Walker and cope with a growing injury list of centre-halves in the backdrop of their worst run of results in over 15 years that effectively ended all hopes of a fifth consecutive Premier League title.

The Blues did not add a natural right-back to replace Walker in January or the summer, with Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji and Khusanov sharing the workload and dragging City through the line to a respectable yet unsatisfactory third-place Premier League finish in the 2024-25 season.

Hugo Viana was appointed Manchester City’s director of football in the summer and tasked with engineering a rebuild of an ageing squad that boasted a series of senior stars past their prime and holding a desire to start a new challenge.

Viana conducted a thorough audit of Guardiola’s squad and signed off on the notable departures of Kevin De Bruyne, Scott Carson, Ilkay Gundogan, Ederson and Walker – with City adding seven new players to their ranks between June and September.

Officials at the Etihad Stadium explored the market for a new right-back and expressed a strong interest in Newcastle’s Valentino Livramento and Roma’s Wesley França, with reports since relaying that the club did not find the right solution that aligned with their finances.

The exemplary performances of Lewis, Khusanov and Nunes further instilled belief in Guardiola that City can comfortably go about their business for at least another season as they scout the market for a long-term replacement for the departed Walker.

Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas has reported that the notable displays by Khusanov at right-back since his arrival to the Etihad Stadium have further loosened Manchester City’s stance on acquiring a specialist in the position.

City now plan to cool their interest in a new right-back come the 2026 January window and could halt their pursuit of a new addition until next summer, which could see the departure of John Stones on a free transfer upon the expiration of his current deal.

Khusanov has been a breath of fresh air in a backline that desperately needed inspiration last season and the Uzbekistan international is expected to return to full fitness in time for Manchester City’s next Premier League game against Everton after the international break.

Lewis has recently penned a new long-term deal at the Etihad Stadium and Nunes is enjoying the best form of his Manchester City career, which gives enough reason for club officials to calm their pursuit of a new right-back in the short term.