Manchester City recall centre-back from Championship loan following Josko Gvardiol injury | OneFootball

Manchester City have opted to recall one of their highly-rated central defenders from their ongoing loan spell in the Championship following fresh injury developments.

The decision follows a frustrating afternoon at the Etihad Stadium, where Pep Guardiola’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea despite long spells of control and a first-half breakthrough. While the late equaliser proved costly in the context of the title race, the more significant fallout came in the form of further defensive injury concerns.

As previously reported, Guardiola confirmed after the match that Josko Gvardiol’s issue “doesn’t look good”, with Ruben Dias also sustaining a problem of his own during the second half.

Those setbacks only deepened existing worries, with John Stones already sidelined long-term and Nathan Aké carefully managed due to his fitness history. And against that backdrop, City’s hierarchy have moved quickly to protect first-team depth during a demanding period of domestic and European fixtures.

The Chelsea match underlined how thin Pep Guardiola’s defensive options have become, particularly with opponents increasingly targeting Manchester City in transition late in games.

And now, according to the information of Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are set to recall centre-back Max Alleyne from Championship side Watford with immediate effect having been left ‘very happy’ with the player’s game time at development at Vicarage Road.

Club officials are said to have acted fast after Gvardiol’s injury sustained in the second-half of the 1-1 draw against Chelsea, with the Croatia international expected to be out for ‘several weeks’.

Additional reporting from the Manchester Evening News’ Simon Bajkowski has detailed that Alleyne should be in the City matchday squad against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night, and could start in FA Cup third round against Exeter City on Saturday afternoon.

While Manchester City have another four centre-backs currently on loan, they are not planning any more recalls as it stands, the report went on to explain.

Max Alleyne’s recall represents a pragmatic short-term solution rather than a permanent reshuffle, allowing Guardiola additional cover while medical assessments continue on Dias and Gvardiol.

The defender’s exposure to senior football in the Championship has been viewed positively, aligning with Manchester City’s broader development strategy. Whether Alleyne is immediately integrated into first-team matchday squads remains to be seen, but his return offers Guardiola flexibility at a time when options are scarce.

With key fixtures looming and little margin for error in the Premier League, Manchester City may yet be forced to rely on youthful depth as they attempt to stabilise their defensive unit.

Attention will now turn to further updates on Josko Gvardiol’s recovery timeline and Ruben Dias’ availability, with Manchester City supporters hoping the latest recall proves sufficient to steady the back line during a critical phase of the season.