Pep Guardiola Eyes La Liga Star To Solve Manchester City’s Midfield Crisis

Pep Guardiola has reportedly targeted Real Sociedad defender Martin Zubimendi as the perfect fit for Pep Guardiola Manchester City midfield problems as they came out clearly in recent weeks.

After a bright start to the current premier league campaign that saw the team record seven victories in nine league outings, Manchester City’s form has declined.

The team then went on a four-match losing run in the league before a 3-0 home win against Nottingham Forest and inconsistency remains part of City’s character.

This past weekend the team was held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace, making it their eighth match in all competitions without a victory. The Citizens at the moment occupy the fourth place in the English premier league; 8 points behind Liverpool but with a game in hand.

However, the first problem has been the loss of the Spanish international – Rodri, whose role in midfield has been irreplaceable. Rodri is the latest recipient of the Ballon d’Or winners as he suffered a serious ACL twist in September in a match against Arsenal, which turned him into a out-of-season victim.

Pep Guardiola To Reinforce The Midfield With Martin Zubimendi

According to Spanish sources, Guardiola is keen to reinforce his side in January to try and redress the balance. There is Zubimendi, one of La Liga’s best midfielders, who seems to intrigue Guardiola.

The Real Sociedad star is blessed with match winning abilities as regards playmaking, defensive solidity, and ball possession attributes, City are sorely lacking of following due to the injury of Rodri.

Guardiola has been said to have pressed the transfer button on Zubimendi as the only target for the coming window. However, the Real Sociedad side remain insistent over the fact that they will not sell their key midfielder. The Spanish club is not ready to talk of transfer and has advised other clubs interested in Zubimendi to make an offer which will trigger the release clause, this could prove to be a big spend for City.

After a poor run of fixtures in the Etihad, with the team struggling, Guardiola is keen to improve the midfield. Signing Zubimendi enshrines City’s desire to fight back for the control of their season and challenge for Premier League and Champions League titles. Whether the club will be able to attract the La Liga star to the team in the January transfer window is unknown, however, the need for fresh legs has never been more apparent.