5 centre-backs Manchester City should be targetting in January

#4. Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough)

The Teeside native will help improve the home-grown quota as well as the defence

The only English player on the list, Gibson was linked with a move to join Manchester City during the summer transfer window but the move never materialized.

A powerful left-footer who is good in the air and has an aggressive style of play typical of the best English centre-backs, Ben is the nephew of Middlesbrough owner Steve Gibson.

Long thought of as a future regular for the Three Lions, Gibson should make a competent partner for John Stones and a reliable alternative for the error-prone Otamendi or always-injured Vincent Kompany.

Capable of playing as a left back and possessing the ability to play out from the back, it has been rumoured that the Citizens will look to make a bid for the Middlesbrough vice-captain who was one of the few players to emerge with any credit from Boro’s horrible 2016/2017 Premier League campaign (he played in all the games).

He may cost up to £40m (given his relatively young age of 24 and the normal English player rates) but his versatility will allow Pep to switch between a two-man to a three-man central defensive pairing depending on whatever formation the Catalan gaffer may want to play.

He has been a permanent fixture in the Boro defence in the Championship playing in all 14 games so far as the Smoggies (as Boro are known) languish in midtable.