Pep Guardiola insists he ‘needs help’ from Manchester City’s hierarchy via the January transfer window | OneFootball

Manchester City officials will need to ‘help’ Pep Guardiola by being active in the now-ongoing January transfer window amid struggles in various positions this season.

The Premier League champions have already been linked with a number of players across the European market but have yet to intensify any prospective deals beyond conversations and levels of interest thus far.

One of the primary names to be linked with intense Manchester City interest is Lens and Uzbekistan central defender Abdukodir Khusanov, in the hope that the 20-year-old can add much-needed, reliable depth to a depleted rearguard.

The youngster would also be a step in the direction of future planning for the reigning Premier League champions, who are hoping to equip manager Guardiola with the tools to build a new-look, all-conquering Manchester City side for life beyond his tenure.

Speaking during a recent exchange with BBC Match of the Day, Guardiola has already ruled Manchester City out of the ongoing race for the Premier League title, but insists that he and his squad have plenty of ‘other things to fight for’ in the months that remain.

“We are far away from winning the Premier League. We accept there’s already no chance of that but we have other things to fight for: FA Cup, top four… and winning games helps,” Guardiola admitted.

Referring to the January transfer window and how the market could aid Manchester City’s ambitions in the remaining fixtures this season, Guardiola said, “In some positions we need help.

“When we’re all together we’re the team we were but with important players out for weeks and months it’s so difficult. I thought central defenders would be fit all season but we have struggled – holding midfield and central defenders we need help.”

The Catalan coach closed, “The market is the market – it’s not easy, it’s expensive so we will see what the club can do.”

City have also been tipped to make up to three additions to their squad this month, but the club are aware that a number of their potential targets may simply be either unavailable or too expensive to take away from their current clubs at the midway stage of a season.

Among the other names to have been linked in the opening week of the January transfer window are Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush and Atalanta’s Ederson, with the latter believed to be a candidate to replace Rodri during the final months of his recovery.