The Guardian has reported that they’re close to agreeing terms with Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake - who has been one of the bright sparks in an otherwise miserable campaign.
Fix
Pep Guardiola has been repeatedly let down by his back four, during a season in which they let Premier League rivals Liverpool romp home to the title and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Arsenal.
Guardiola has identified Ake as the man to help them solve those issues, which often left 35-year-old midfielder Fernandinho playing as a central defender.
By making a 35 million pound move before this current campaign is over, Manchester City are sending a strong message to the Reds but also to their top four rivals. They mean business, and the wallet is open.
Questions
It does throw up some questions about the coaching and the tactics employed by the Spaniard. City seem to be in a state of perpetual defensive crisis as they’re only one injury away from catastrophe.
On the other side of the country, Jurgen Klopp is doing substantially more with less at his disposal and even managed to turn Dejan Lovren into a fine Premier League defender for a brief spell.
This deal for Nathan Ake is certain to be just a taste of the business City are going to do. This isn’t a club who are happy to let a few lean years pass them by, especially not while they have Guardiola at the helm.
Prepared
By going early, they are giving themselves the best possible chance of having the player acclimated and ready to carry out his manager’s precise instructions, which will give them the best chance of winning the league again.
They are going on the attack, and for a team of their resources to be doing so will spell trouble for the rest of the league.