What’s the story?
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is reportedly keen on signing a defender and has set his sights on Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber, according to The Sun.
The German defender is adept at playing either in the centre of defence or in the left full-back position, and can add steel to the uncertain City defence. The 27-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season and the City manager could bring him to the Etihad for a reasonable sum of £3 million.
In case you didn’t know...
Badstuber came through the ranks at Munich, and made his debut for the first-team in the 2009 season. He featured prominently from 2009 to 2011 before an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2012 kept him out of the team for almost 2 years.
Also Read: Transfer rumour: Manchester clubs target Juventus left-back Alex Sandro
The German made it back to the team in 2015 under Pep Guardiola and was part of the Spanish manager’s first-team, before another injury put him out for a season. He has played over 200 games for Bayern Munich and has also represented the German national team on 31 occasions.
(Video Courtesy: BayernCompHD YouTube Channel)
Badstuber was available under Guardiola in the latter half of the Spaniard’s spell at Munich, but the German was critical of the Spanish manager earlier in 2016. The defender was unhappy with the former Barcelona manager’s interest in his recovery and had this to say: “With Pep, it was different. I would have to approach him because if I want to have a discussion then I will go looking for it,” as quoted from Sky Deutschland.
The heart of the matter
Guardiola’s City team have leaked goals this season and the ageing backline have not looked assured. City captain Vincent Kompany has had an injury-ridden season, while summer signing John Stones has made some costly errors.
The defence has also not been helped by the gaffes of Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo. The City manager rejected rumours about him interested in signing Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk, who is also a reported target for league leaders, Chelsea.
The Spanish manager knows the qualities that Badstuber possesses, having coached him in his spell at Bayern. The German could fill in at two positions – left-back and central defence, and could fit into Guardiola’s style of play with his excellent passing ability.
What next?
The Spanish manager is desperate to shore up his defence and could make a move for Badstuber in the January transfer window. The German’s potential move could spell the end of Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov’s time at Manchester City, who has displayed woeful performances this season.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Badstuber was once touted to be the next big thing in German football before injury kept him on the sidelines for years. The German could be an excellent option in the left side of the City defence, if he can keep himself injury-free and fit.
