Pep Guardiola reveals Man City transfer priority amid £33m deal agreement claim and shock Kyle Walker update

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Evening Standard

·13 January 2025

Pep Guardiola reveals Man City transfer priority amid £33m deal agreement claim and shock Kyle Walker update

It’s shaping up to be a busy January transfer window for Man City

Pep Guardiola has explained Manchester City's priorities in the January transfer window, but has refused to discuss the club’s links with Abdukodir Khusanov.

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City are expected to be busy this month in strengthening their squad, with reports suggesting that a £33.6m deal has been agreed with Lens for defender Khusanov, whilst Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush and Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis could also arrive.

Though when asked by a reporter in the pre-Brentford press conference to explain why the club have decided to move for the 20-year-old, Guardiola shook his head and said: "The club didn't announce anything."

However, whilst the Man City boss is unsure as to how many new signings he expects to arrive at the Etihad Stadium before the transfer window closes, he did expand on why the club have had to take action this winter.

"What I expect from the beginning of the season is when the squad starts back,” he added. “I don't know, Rodri is impossible, he is the only one, the other ones back is what I wanted. If it would have happened we would have not gone to the transfer window this season, absolutely not!

"And we would not be in the position that we are [in]. But we have struggled all season, people say 'Rodri, Rodri' it's not just Rodri, we've had a lot of problems, especially in the back four and still we have and that is the reason why the club is thinking what we are doing to do this transfer [window] or maybe in the summer."

Man City have reportedly agreed a fee with Lens for Abdukodir Khusanov.

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In a shock development over the weekend, Guardiola confirmed that club captain Kyle Walker has asked to leave amid interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia as well as both Milan clubs.

Should the 34-year-old depart in the January transfer window, then the priority for Man City becomes defensive additions.

"From the beginning of the season, it was at the back and in the middle, yeah," Guardiola added. "The positions up-front we are more or less OK, but at the back all season we've struggled a lot."

After disastrous run of one win in 13 matches, City have won their last three games in a row but they remain way off the pace in the Premier League table, trailing leaders Liverpool by 12 points having played a game more.