Pep Guardiola needs help. He might not admit it when asked face to face but he needs a few top-quality players if he’s to bring Manchester City up to a level he experienced and controlled over at Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
Manchester City might still be in the UEFA Champions League slots on the table but their performances on the pitch have been laughable – especially one under the stewardship of the Catalan manager. Their back-to-back losses to Chelsea and Leicester City highlight an obvious weakness in their team: squad depth and they need to fix it before it curtails their current campaign.
And they need to add more central defenders if they’re to keep the heat on the title rivals. Nicolas Otamendi has proven to be very useful under Pep Guardiola but the experiment of John Stones looks like it’ll take more time than expected.
So, here’s looking at five central defenders who could be targeted by Pep Guardiola in the upcoming winter transfer window: (In no particular order whatsoever)
#5 Jose Fonte
Perhaps one of the easiest transfers Manchester City could pull off in the winter transfer window is signing Southampton contract-rebel Jose Fonte. The Portuguese defender has been with the Saints through two promotions and has proven his worth to both his club and country – with whom he won the recently concluded UEFA European Championships.
Fonte is an established defender in the Premier League and knows all the teams well enough to deal with specialised threats. Pep could use a more mature defender at the back of his line and Fonte could prove to be a steal: both in terms of experience and price.
The Portuguese man will also prove to be the kind of signing capable of bringing John Stones unscathed through this rough patch he’s going through.
#4 Thiago Silva
It’s almost unbelievable that Thiago Silva is a free agent in six months’ time. He’s regarded as one of the best one-on-one central defenders the sport has seen in a long time and he’s yet to agree to a new contract with his current employer, Paris Saint-Germain.
Silva could join Manchester City in the winter for a small fee and could prove to be the kind of masterstroke signing that could finally flatter Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side. He’s only 32 and has time on his hands and will get the chance to play in one of Europe’s top club competitions.
And there isn’t going to be a problem with his wages given he’s joining one of the richest clubs in the world. All the pieces fall perfectly together. It all makes sense. Thiago Silva will surely be the signing of the winter transfer window should it happen.
#3 Aymeric Laporte
You have to be some special player for being amongst the first ‘foreigners’ to play with Athletic Bilbao. Having recently been called up to the French national side, Aymeric Laporte is carving a niche for himself and he’s only 22.
He’s earned rave reviews from all corners of the globe for his performances in the La Liga. He’s got the pace, the height and the concentration to ensure he wins every battle he goes into and he could be the kind of defender Pep would love alongside Nicolas Otamendi.
Laporte will not cheap, however, with rumours that he has a massive €50 million release clause in his contract. If Pep really sees what most other people see in his quality, that sum will prove to be a bargain in the longer run.
#2 Leonardo Bonucci
Widely regarded as the best central defender in the game today – along with Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng – Leonardo Bonucci is the kind of one-in-a-million defender capable of carrying a team on his own.
He’s won every domestic title possible with Juventus and he continues to rule to roost in the Serie A week in and week out. He’s one of the best readers of the game currently and his inability to meet most strikers in pace is almost void. He knows positioning and he’s able to sniff out the danger better than most.
And he’s one of the hottest transfer targets in the world ever since word broke out that he’d be willing to leave the Old Lady for one massive paycheck before calling it a day. He’s only 29 and has time on his hands, but one long golden contract could end his lovely career on an even higher note.
#1 Virgil van Dijk
Surprised to see him here? I'm surprised to put him here but recent performances have convinced people that he's worth being one of the best defenders in the game. The Dutchman is no small defender, he's 6-3, strong and has the kind of pace you wouldn't associate with someone of his build.
And that's what makes him one of the best defenders in the Premier League at the moment. He's doing wonders with Southampton and has done so ever since joining. The best part about him is he's only 25 and should he join Pep Guardiola, will have the chance to learn from one of the best managers the world of football has ever seen.
Much like others before him on the list, Virgil van Dijk will not come cheap. The Premier League is currently bathing in money and Southampton have no reason to part with the Dutchman. But then again, it's Manchester City and they've spent a lot of money on a lot of players in recent seasons. They're aren't done spending just yet.
