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Your Manchester City questions answered as our chief City writer Simon Bajkowski looks at the hunt for defenders in the January transfer window
There's no shortage of Manchester City topics to discuss as Pep Guardiola's men look to compete in four competitions this season after the disappointment of last season. We've got every game and press conference covered for you but we also know that there is so much going on around that.
That's why we are holding regular Q&A sessions with our chief City writer Simon Bajkowski. The day of the week it comes out on may change depending on what City's schedule looks like but essentially this is your chance to get an answer on anything you want - simply comment on the Q&A article when it comes out or respond to the brand account on social media and Simon will wrap everything up in one place.
This week there's a defensive crisis to look at that is impacting on City's plans for the January transfer window. Pep Guardiola needs solutions after seeing Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol ruled out with significant injuries.
Hi Simon, Is there even a remote possibility that Tottenham would be willing to do a player swap for Marmoush involving Udogie? City are in a mini-crisis on the defensive front and adding one more defender would be great, especially as Nico O'Reilly is in desperate need of breather. Yes we have Ait Nouri but he is always injured like John Stones. patagoniablue via website
Hello, it's a nice idea but I don't think it's one that would work on a number of levels. City want to keep Omar Marmoush for a start - it really isn't long since he was a key player in helping them to get Champions League football having only just signed for the club - and even if this season hasn't gone to plan so far there is no need to panic. Ait-Nouri should return to help O'Reilly and he needs to because, you're right, the youngster has looked knackered for a while now. Things are tough enough at Tottenham without them selling some of their best players either - that would be a bad look for them in January.
Hi simon, what if guehi signing failed, are there a short list of replacements on the table? imazenehab via website
There are, as with any signing that City look to make. They have a list ready for the summer that they are interested in, while also keeping tabs on Vitor Reis on loan at Girona to see if he will be ready to come in. The injuries to Dias, Gvardiol and Stones have forced City's hand to look at moving their plan for Guehi forward and they will also be assessing options that weren't on the list for summer but could work for this month. Getting those names is a different matter but they are working on different options!
Hi Simon, are there any other candidates being discussed besides Marc Guehi? Is Viana fully focused on Guehi alone, or is City actively assessing alternative options? If Guehi is not open to a January move, my sense is that Viana would move quickly onto other targets, as he did in the summer. via LeeTaxxxxx
On a similar theme to the last question, Guehi is not the only horse in the race for City this January. Guardiola spoke in his press conference about a 'creative' solution and the club have certainly done that before. They pinched Abdukodir Khusanov and Reis last January when others had moves lined up for the summer, and signed Dortmund's fifth-choice centre-back in the last week of the 2022 transfer window in Manu Akanji and that turned into a msaterstroke. I think City will be working in every week of January to try and get something done while also hoping that Stones can return.
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