Pep Guardiola Talks Manchester City Summer Transfers, Benjamin Mendy Worries

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said the club will be looking to bring in as many as four new players in the summer transfer window and detailed his concerns over the fitness of Benjamin Mendy.

While City have a squad packed with quality, there are areas in which they look light, most notably at left-back and the base of midfield.

Guardiola said ahead of Saturday's Premier League game with Bournemouth that City would be in the market for a number of players again come the end of the season, despite another campaign in which they're on course for numerous successes, per Sam Lee of Goal:

"I don't know what's going to happen but we are thinking about the chance to find somebody in that position, but I don't know. There are three or four positions I think we have to try to look for and we have some ideas. I don't know in the end what is going to happen but it is an option, yeah, to buy a left-back."

The fact that Guardiola made specific reference to a left-back will represent something of a worry for Mendy, who has seen a second consecutive campaign at the Etihad Stadium ruined by injury issues.

Although the France international has shown in glimpses he is capable of adding an extra dimension to City's play when he is fit, Guardiola said he's getting concerned by the amount of matches the former Monaco man is missing.

"Yeah, yeah yeah," said Guardiola when asked if he was worried about Mendy. "If it happens in two seasons, it can happen three, yeah definitely. Hopefully not, we'll work with that, he's working with that, but the truth is we could use him in few games."

Per ESPN FC's Ben Dinnery, Mendy is said to be close to a return to action from his latest layoff with a knee concern:

BBC's David Mooney noted that Guardiola was non-committal over the player's condition prior to the match with West Ham United on Wednesday:

Having accrued 100 points in the Premier League last season with Fabian Delph operating as a left-back for most of their games, City do have options to step into the role when required. Oleksandr Zinchenko has filled in during Mendy's absence and performed well.

Aside from the left side of the defence, City also clearly need an alternative to Fernandinho, who has proved himself to be one of the most indispensable members of the squad with his commanding midfield displays.

Per Lee, such is his importance the Brazilian has arguably been pushed a little too hard:

If Mendy can put together a run of games upon returning from injury, then fears over the left-back position will be eased, as he's shown that he has a lot to offer in his time at City and previously at Monaco.

Bringing in another midfielder with the combativeness and defensive awareness should be top of Guardiola's transfer agenda if his team is to challenge on all four fronts again in 2019-20.