Manchester City battling Liverpool and Newcastle for Ligue 1 defender after Josko Gvardiol injury | OneFootball

Manchester City hold an interest in Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell amid a search for reinforcements in the January window, as per a new report.

The 23-year-old English centre-back came through the Leeds United academy, making his debut for the Whites as a teenager in the 2020-21 Carabao Cup campaign. He went on to make five appearances in the Premier League in the following season as the Yorkshire giants suffered injury problems in defence.

The Preston-born star got his first regular minutes in Men’s football whilst on loan at Millwall in the 2022-23 season, making 28 appearances and scoring an impressive five goals in the EFL Championship whilst winning more duels and aerial duels than 96% of his counterparts.

Despite this excellent form, Daniel Farke hardly used Cresswell in the following campaign. He made a mere seven appearances in all competitions in what was a frustrating season from a personal perspective.

In July 2024, the defender made the brave decision to go abroad and sign for Ligue 1 side Toulouse. His time on the European mainland has been a remarkable success, having cemented himself as one of the most talented young defenders in the French top-flight.

In his debut season at the Stadium de Toulouse, Cresswell made 34 appearances and scored four goals, helping the side to their best league finish in over a decade. The summer was also an incredibly successful period for Cresswell.

He was selected in the England squad for the UEFA European U21 Championship for the second time, playing a key role as England won the tournament for the second time in succession. The defender was named in the Team of the Tournament, besting the likes of RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba.

Cresswell has also made an excellent start to the 2025-26 season – having played every minute of league football so far, winning more duels than any other centre-back in Ligue 1.

Due to these excellent performances, it is no surprise that Manchester City are interested in acquiring Cresswell’s services, as reported by SPORT in France and relayed by Sport Witness.

However, the publication notes that it is fellow big-spenders Liverpool and Newcastle United who hold a stronger interest in the 23-year-old, who is valued by Toulouse at €25 million (£21.5 million).

The defender is clearly a talented player but Manchester City already have a number of promising young centre-backs on their books – in the form of Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah. Additionally, Max Alleyne has just been recalled from his loan at Watford to provide central defensive cover at the Etihad Stadium.

If Cresswell stays put until the summer and one of John Stones or Nathan Ake moves on permanently, he could be a potential candidate to fill a homegrown slot and a gap in the squad.

It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola would want such an inexperienced defensive unit, particularly given that Josko Gvardiol will be returning from a long-term injury in the summer.