Manchester City Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Jonny Evans and Inigo Martinez

Manchester City are readying potential offers for Jonny Evans and Inigo Martinez, as manager Pep Guardiola attempts to strengthen his defence.

Jason Burt of the Telegraph reported the pair could be subject to bids after Liverpool announced the capture of Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dyk. City skipper Vincent Kompany is facing a fresh battle with injury after damaging a calf, forcing Guardiola into the transfer market.

Per Burt, Kompany suffered the injury in the 1-0 win at Newcastle United and was forced off in the opening minutes of the contest. Speaking to reporters after the game, Guardiola said he did not know how the injury would affect his recruitment plans in January.

The Spanish coach said: "I don’t know. I don’t know what is going to happen. Unfortunately, he [Kompany] is injured again [just] like the last three years and we have to see how long it is going to take him to recover."

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According to Burt, City tabled an offer of £21 million for Evans last summer but failed to complete the deal with West Bromwich Albion. A fresh offer of approximately £30 million could finally seal his signature, with Arsenal and Everton monitoring the former Manchester United man.

Evans' arrival would be very controversial in Manchester given his former loyalties to the Red Devils. However, Carlos Tevez successfully made the switch across the city to the Etihad Stadium, and Evans hasn't been a United player since 2015.

The Northern Ireland international was hugely underrated during his time at Old Trafford, and at 29, he would provide City with an intelligent centre-back who can play out from the heart of defence.

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City are also considering Real Sociedad defender Martinez, but the player is also being tracked by Barcelona.

Per Burt, the centre-back can leave his club for £28 million, with a release clause inserted into his current deal in San Sebastian.

Martinez has featured 14 times for La Real in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Europa League this term and would provide a versatile presence in the centre or on the left of a back-three.

Here is the Spain international in action:

Guardiola must now consider long-term prospects, and Kompany's years at Eastlands could be numbered.

The Belgium international is one of the best in the world when he is fit, but he spends extended periods on the sidelines every season.

He is not the foundation Guardiola can build his defence on, and the Premier League leaders need a quick solution to protect the gap at the top as they pass into 2018.