Manchester City Transfer News: Vincent Kompany Injury Sparks Centre-Back Rumours

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is reportedly considering strengthening his defensive options in the January transfer window following another injury to captain Vincent Kompany. 

According to Martin Blackburn of the Sun, the City boss is waiting to see if the funds will be available for him to splash out midseason, with a board meeting set for Monday in Abu Dhabi. Guardiola reportedly wasn’t keen to make any acquisitions in January but may be forced into the market.

That’s after yet another knock to Kompany; as noted in the report, the Belgium international has damaged his medial ligament and is set to be out for a month. It leaves Guardiola with just Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones as senior centre-back options.

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Blackburn added that while Guardiola is an admirer of Athletic Club Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte and Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci, he recognises it’ll be difficult to prise either away in January without overspending.

According to James Robson of the Manchester Evening News, the longstanding injury issues suffered by Kompany have left Guardiola considering square pegs in round holes:

Aside from Fernandinho, Yaya Toure has also been discussed as a possible makeshift defender. According to David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror, Guardiola is said to be considering using the Ivorian in a centre-back role while Kompany is absent; Toure played in the position in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final for the coach’s Barcelona against Manchester United.

Whether the defensive issues in this City team are addressed in January or in the summer, it’s an area of the squad that must be prioritised in terms of transfers.

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Indeed, while Guardiola has done a lot of positive work at the Etihad Stadium in terms of the team’s attacking play, at the back, they still look a little shaky. With Kompany toiling, the City boss has even used Aleksandar Kolarov at the heart of the defence, with mixed results.

City’s reluctance to strengthen this part of the squad may be borne out of a hope that Kompany can rediscover the form that made him one of the best defenders in world football in his pomp. But as we can see here courtesy of Het Laatste Nieuws’ Kristof Terreur, the Belgium international has spent most of 2016 out of action:

While buying new players in January is testing, teams have proved in the past that savvy business can still be conducted.  

Sometimes it’s a case of needs must. City need a new centre-back to preserve a challenge for the Premier League and Champions League for the remainder of 2016-17 and subsequently must sign one. While doing so would be a huge help to their squad, reinforcements to this area would only cast further doubt over the future of their perennially stricken skipper.