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"The table does not lie" is one of football's most repeated clichés and in the case of Manchester City this season, it certainly does not.
Already confirmed champions of the 2017/2018 season, the Sky Blues are leading the table by more than just points, they have scored the most goals, conceded the least, created the most chances among other very impressive stats.
The #SharkTeam has been particularly impressive in its attacking verve and style but much credit should go to the midfield colossus that has been Fernandinho.
The 32-year-old has been the understated glue that has held the team together as his tackling, marking, passing and interceptions have helped the team snuff out many dangerous attacks by the opposition. While Ilkay Gundogan has deputised creditably in the games he has played as the holding midfielder, his skill set is not suitable for such a role.
Guardiola and City's sporting director Txiki Begiristain have reportedly identified some defensive midfielders who could step in and assist Fernandinho, here are five top ones they could be looking at:
#5 Tanguy Ndombele (on loan at Lyon from Angers SCO)
One of the standout talents in Ligue 1 this season, the 21-year-old central midfielder is having a sterling season for a frantic-styled Lyon side and is said to be on the radar of quite a few clubs.
The player has shown the full range of his abilities at the base of the midfield as the holding midfielder in a side that is geared towards high-octane attacking football. A combative and tough tackling midfielder who is also capable of passing and starting attacks in the final third, the 21-year-old more often than not helps the team control matches by winning the ball in deep positions and driving forward to help Lyon push on the attack.
He would help Manchester City in breaking up opposing attacks as Fernandinho does and while he does not yet possess the Brazilian's expertise at picking a pass and shielding the ball, his athleticism and ability to push up will help the team break forward fast and give the chance for the central midfielders to move the ball faster forward.
It is said that Les Gones' president Jean-Michel Aulas already has a £10m loan-to-buy agreement with Angers SCO for the player but City's financial clout and the respect which Guardiola's name commands could swing the deal the Cityzens' way.
#4 Jean Micheal Seri (OGC Nice)
A player who has been continually linked to European giants like Manchester United and FC Barcelona cannot be a bad player and by all measures, the Ivorian international is quality player.
Like a few of the players on this list, Seri is a diminutive presence in the midfield and his height has been no barrier to his development as a top-class holding midfielder. His ability to break up play by intercepting opposition attacks stood him out in Ligue 1 last season as he led his unfancied Nice side to an improbable 3rd placed finish.
More than being just a destroyer though, like the man whom he might be brought in to assist at the Etihad Stadium, the 26-year-old is also quite creative and is more than capable of carrying the ball forward and creating chances up front.
His intelligent shielding of the ball, breaking up opposition attacks and ability to find an accurate long ball from deep in midfield to the forward line would help City in playing the quick transition which Guardiola loves to play.
While his stats this season have not been as good as the one from last season, they are still pretty impressive.
A fee of £40m has been mentioned for the captain of the French Riviera team and given the interest from other clubs, City will need to move fast
#3 Amadou Diawara (SSC Napoli)
The 20-year-old has been superb and impressed with a quality and maturity are that are unprecedented for a footballer his age. His performances for Napoli as a defensive player who protects the backline set him apart from even older players who play in his position
He has been shown to be at his best when pressing the carrier, disrupting the opposition's attacking play and helping to start counter-attacks from the back. His ability to recover possession quickly will be of great help in Guardiola's quick pressing style and his youthfulness and athleticism mean that either Gundogan, Kevin de Bruyne or David Sliva would love having such a brilliant water carrier playing beside them.
While he has been in and out of the Partenopei squad thanks to Maurizio Sarri's preference for a settled first XI and the form of first-choice defensive midfielder Allan, the Guinean-born youngster has impressed in the games he has played in.
Guardiola would have seen enough of the player over the two legs of the Champions League group game against Napoli this season and could be looking to place a bid for the youngster whose stats for the season have been very impressive.
#2 Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk)
The one name that has dominated the headlines as far it concerns signing for Manchester City. The Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder has proven to be one of the gems unearthed in this season's UEFA Champions League.
The 23-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder has been central to the quick pressing play which Shakhtar's manager Rui Fonseca favours. More often than not, he is charged with breaking up play and intercepting opposition attacks.
However, like Fernandinho, he is not just a destroyer but is also just as creative as his senior Brazilian counterpart. He is renowned for his lightning quick speed which he uses effectively to join the attack and create chances as well as get a few goals; his ability to make the right decision swiftly is phenomenal.
Like Man City's colossal-in-the-middle, Fred isn't the tallest player standing at just 169cm and seems to be better suited to play in an attacking position. However, he has proven to be brilliant at defending and would be a like-for-like replacement for his elder countryman.
A fee of £50m has been quoted in media reports but whatever the amount, he will be a brilliant buy for the Cityzens.
#1 Julian Weigl (Borussia Dortmund)
The brilliant young German is top of this list for a reason; he has everything required to become as good as the world’s best registas: Pep Guardiola, Xavi Hernandez, Andrea Pirlo and the likes.
With intelligence that belies his tender years, the German international is adept at both the offensive and defensive sides of the game.
Acting as the deepest member of a midfield triangle, Weigl is of great importance in the early parts of attacking build ups at his club; Borussia Dortmund. More often than not, it is he who is tasked with receiving the ball from the centre-backs and starting attacks. He also acts as a decoy, creating space for the likes of Omer Toprak to advance with the ball.
In situations where the intention is to quickly counter, his quick thinking and long-range passes usually free up the wingers or overlapping full-backs to create havoc by getting the ball to them quickly and bypassing the opposition midfield.
Also capable, if need be, of acting as the most defensive player in a midfield two/trio, his marking and defensive abilities are more than adequate and would be especially useful in the helter-skelter world of the Premier League.
It is difficult to determine just how much the Cityzens will need to part with to get the young genius but if they can get him in, his impact on the team would be huge as de Bruyne, David Silva and Gundogan would get the ideal midfield partner while the frontline will be assured of getting early and incisive passes deep from midfield.
