Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is keen to add to his squad in January and is now reportedly on the trail of a former Sky Blues player ahead of the transfer window opening.
Manchester City transfer updates…
The Citizens are always there or thereabouts when it comes to transfer stories and this January looks to be no different as Guardiola aims to ensure his side have adequate squad depth to challenge on several fronts.
Planning for the immediate term is the main consideration at the Etihad Stadium; however, bringing in players for the future is another important facet of their spending.
According to The Sun, Manchester City are closing in on a deal to sign Boca Juniors wonderkid Valentin Barco and will aim to acquire the left-back before then sending him out on loan to Leicester City, who are managed by former Sky Blues assistant Enzo Maresca, in order to gain further experience.
Brighton & Hove Albion were also keen on the Argentinian defender, which is usually a good indicator of their potential due to the Seagulls' success in nurturing prodigious talent; however, the Citizens look to have stolen a march on their Premier League rivals and are now in the driving seat to complete a £13 million swoop for Barco.
AC Milan striker Francesco Camarda, who became the youngest ever player in Serie A last weekend, is also someone who Manchester City have made overtures to try and tempt to the North West, though they face stiff competition from Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund for his signature.
Manchester City's next five fixtures – all competitions
Competition
Opponent
Venue
Champions League
RB Leipzig (H)
Etihad Stadium
Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Etihad Stadium
Premier League
Aston Villa (A)
Villa Park
Premier League
Luton Town (A)
Kenilworth Road
Champions League
Crvena zvezda
Rajko Mitic Stadium
Now, a fresh report has suggested that Guardiola could turn to a former Manchester City man in January to bolster a key position.
Manchester City target Douglas Luiz
According to Football Insider, Manchester City are keen to re-sign Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, who is on a shortlist of potential midfield recruits at the Etihad Stadium which also includes Al-Hilal playmaker Ruben Neves.
The report claims that the Citizens had a buyback clause inserted into his deal when he left for Aston Villa for a fee in the region of £15 million; nevertheless, it expired in 2021 and they would likely need to shell out a hefty fee to acquire the Brazil international.
Luiz, who has previously been labelled "different class" by Harry Redknapp, has made 20 appearances in all competitions this campaign, registering six goals and three assists (Luiz statistics – Transfermarkt).
Providing efficient support for attackers such as Ollie Watkins, Moussa Diaby and Leon Bailey, the 25-year-old has averaged around 1.2 shots and 1.5 key passes per Premier League match in 2023/24 (Luiz statistics – WhoScored).
Manchester City are always on the lookout for talent to bolster their already stacked squad and Luiz could make a dramatic return to the North West despite failing to make an impression last time out.