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Manchester City’s underwhelming 2019/20 Premier League campaign laid bare the defensive frailties in Pep Guardiola’s squad. As lethal as Manchester City are going forward, they are porous at the back, as was evident in defeats at Norwich, Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur that have perfectly encapsulated their subpar returns this season.
At the start of the 2019-20 season, Guardiola hoped for Fernandinho and Eric Garcia stepping up to fill up the void left by former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany who left the club at the end of last season. However that did not happen, and Aymeric Laporte’s long-term injury, coupled with Jones Stones and Nicolas Otamendi’s constant slip-ups have ensured that Manchester City's defensive performances nosedived.
If Manchester City are to reclaim their Premier League crown from would-be champions Liverpool next season, it is critical that they bring in defensive reinforcements. Therefore, in this article, we look at five high-profile centre-backs Pep Guardiola could target to reinforce Manchester City's central defence.
Five high-profile centre-back options Pep Guardiola's Manchester City should look to acquire next season:
5. David Alaba
With Leroy Sane’s departure to Bayern Munich was all but confirmed by Pep Guardiola last week, Manchester City bosses could hope to benefit from the multi-million deal due to occur in the coming weeks.
The recently-crowned Bundesliga champions are hoping to seal the deal by offering a cut-price deal of €40m, however, Manchester City value him somewhere close to € 60-70m despite the impact of COVID-19 on the football transfer market.
Sane’s contract, however, expires next summer and if a deal with Bayern Munich does not go through, Manchester City could lose him for nothing. Several reports have, therefore, claimed that the Sky Blues are planning to ask for a player in-exchange for their German winger. Names like Kingsley Coman and Lucas Hernandez have surfaced recently. But the rumour regarding the involvement of David Alaba could be the most profitable option for Manchester City.
The Austrian defender has been a mainstay at Bayern Munich for the last decade or so and has been labelled as one of the best left-backs of the 21st century. His sense of timing, positional intelligence and remarkable discipline have made him indispensable on the left-flank for Bayern Munich. However, his often talked-about versatility and adaptability was given its most testing examination when Hansi Flick gave him a run at centre-back this season.
Alaba is a left-back by trade but his unmatched understanding of the game makes him suitable for almost any position on the pitch. In the national side, he is often seen deployed in the central-midfield role, further showcasing his flexibility and resourcefulness.
Interestingly, the 28-year-old also featured for Guardiola at centre-back, although very briefly. The Manchester City boss knows everything there is to know about Alaba and getting in a player of his calibre would not only solve Manchester City's centre-back dilemma but also the club's left-back misfortunes.
However, the reason why Alaba is not higher up on this list is because this deal is extremely unlikely to materialise. Having two left-footed centre-backs would not be ideal for Guardiola, which is why he would rather focus on bringing in a player who could complement Aymeric Laporte on the right side.
4. Ruben Dias
Benfica centre-back Ruben Dias has reportedly been slapped with a mind-bending € 90m price-tag, which could mean that any potential suitor would have to smash transfer records to sign him. The Portuguese international, previously linked with Barcelona and Manchester United, is one of the many centre-backs currently being monitored by Guardiola and his Manchester City bosses.
Dias, at 23, is already a defender of supreme quality, panache and character who is prepared to take the next big step in his career. Benfica, despite being extremely dominant in the Primeira Liga, have shown a pattern of cashing in on their best players. Ederson, Raul Jimenez, Joao Felix and Nelson Semedo have all departed the club for handsome amounts in recent years, which makes the speculation around Dias believable.
The right-footed centre-half is a regular starter in the Portugal national side, which highlights his leadership skills, defensive expertise and ability to perform at the highest level. Dias is an extremely effective disrupter-of-play, often found lunging into tackles and duels. However, his aggressive game-play does not reflect in his disciplinary record which is surprisingly top-drawer.
Moreover, Dias also possesses an elite passing range and is known to have an eye for goal. In Dias, Manchester City could have the perfect man to partner Aymeric Laporte at the back, but his release clause might put off the Mancunian giants.
3. Caglar Soyuncu
It is possible that Pep Guardiola might not have look beyond the Premier League in order to sort out his defensive conundrum. One man who has had a significant impact this campaign is Leicester City anchor-man Caglar Soyuncu.
The Turkish international has been solid for Brendan Rodgers’ side after forming an unlikely yet excellent partnership with former Manchester United defender Jonny Evans. Soyuncu arrived in the Premier League with little to no reputation from German outfit SC Freiburg but has quickly cemented his position among the division’s top centre-backs.
Leicester City have had a splendid league campaign as they currently find themselves in third place, extremely well-positioned to secure Champions League football for next season. While Jamie Vardy and James Maddison have impressed with their attacking exploits up-front, Soyuncu has marshalled the defense with utmost precision. The Foxes have the second-best defensive record in the Premier League this season, only behind that of league leaders Liverpool.
Soyuncu is 24 years of age and has a promising career in front of him. He has already shown his talents at one of the biggest stages of world football. His performances have made Leicester fans forget that they ever had Harry Maguire in their ranks as the Turk’s aggression, pace and reading of the game has brought in much-needed dynamism at the King Power Stadium.
Caglar Soyuncu’s asking price is reportedly just below the € 40m mark, and therefore he could be a handy proposition for Manchester City.
2. Kalidou Koulibaly
Multiple reports this week have suggested that Manchester City are leading the race to sign Napoli’s star defender Kalidou Koulibaly. The Senegalese has been linked with a move away from the San Paulo Stadium throughout the season due to the Italian heavyweights’ dismal league campaign and behind-the-scenes controversies.
Koulibaly is regarded as one of football’s most potent defenders as his world-class ability and incredible consistency has attracted attention from Europe’s creme-de-la-creme. However, Manchester City look well-placed to provide him a lucrative offer this summer.
The 28-year-old is perhaps the most experienced in this list and is widely-regarded as one of the best in his position for a reason. He, therefore, is an ideal successor to former club captain Vincent Kompany, whose departure at the end of last season left a huge void at the back for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
Koulibaly possesses all the qualities Guardiola craves in a centre-back. His leadership qualities, domineering style of play and immaculate passing are three of his biggest strengths. He also has an occasional eye for goal, having produced some crucial goals and assits for Napoli in the past. Koulibaly could, therefore, definitely improve Manchester City’s strike record from corners.
As things stand, it looks like a mouth-watering prospect and Kalidou Koulibaly could be ecstatic at the thought of working under Guardiola, a manager who could take his game to the next level. A Champions League ban for Manchester City, however, could completely change the dynamic.
1. Milan Skriniar
Manchester City fans’ dream signing at the centre-half position would no doubt be Inter’s Milan Skriniar. The Slovakian’s stock has rocketed in recent years due to his commanding performances at the back for the Italian giants.
Manchester City’s defensive options have given some serious headaches to manager Pep Guardiola ever since his arrival in 2016. Only Laporte, who was signed for a then club-record € 65m in January of 2018, has shown a high level of consistency and dependability in that period. The former Barcelona manager is now hell-bent on finding a world-class partner for the Frenchman, and Skriniar could be the perfect one for that right-sided centre-back slot.
The 25-year-old ticks all the boxes for Guardiola with his aerial prowess, tactical flexibility and, most importantly, passing attributes. Skriniar can be a no-nonsense defender when needed with his broad stature and unrivalled physicality, which makes him almost impenetrable for opposition attackers. However, he is known more for his possession-based style of play as he is so often seen playing piercing passes from the back rather than taking the aerial route.
Although the former Sampodria defender has a notable lack of pace, he fills those gaps with his positional awareness and spatial intelligence. The Manchester City hierarchy will be licking their lips thinking about a potential combination of Laporte and Skriniar at the heart of their defense, which could be a regular feature at the club for many years to come.
The only hindrance in this regard, however, is that Milan Skriniar has a contract till 2023 at the San Siro and luring him could force the Manchester City bosses to break the bank.
