Pep Guardiola will be looking for high-quality center-backs in the summer transfer windows, and these players could be a great fit for Manchester City!
These Center-Backs Would Fit Manchester City Perfectly
Two things are certain about the Manchester City squad – they have amazing players, and their defense lacks some depth. The experts agree that Pep Guardiola risked when not bringing any replacements for Vincent Kompany. It was a risky bet, which will probably end up costing him the EPL trophy. You have far better chances to win if you play online roulette than Pep to win the Premier League at the moment.
The club will have to acquire at least a single defender during the summer transfer window. Let’s take a look at some potential targets for Man City.
Ruben Dias
We know that Portugal has amazing defenders, and it seems that Ruben Dias is the perfect successor of Pepe. The center-back plays for Benfica and is the reason why defense is probably the strongest part of their team.
Dias has also had 16 appearances for the Portugal national team, including the finals of the UEFA Nations League, which they won after beating the Netherlands 1-0.
It is a shame that City didn’t snatch him during the winter transfer window because Euro 2020 is set to be held in June. If Dias and Portugal perform well, and they are defending the European Championship title, the odds are the price of the defender will increase significantly. Fortunately, money hasn’t been a problem for Manchester City lately.
Çağlar Söyüncü
The Turkish center-back currently plays for Leicester City, and it is one of the key reasons why the club is still in a Champions League qualification spot in the EPL. Söyüncü is proof that they are doing a good job at Leicester. The club acquired the Turkish defender for only £19 million, and he proved to be an excellent replacement for Maguire, who they sold for £80 million.
We have to be honest and say that the EPL doesn’t have a long list of top-quality center-backs, but Söyüncü proved that he deserves to be one of the best. He controls the ball well, and he is also reliable in the air and fairly quick for a center-back.
Milan Škriniar
Antonio Conte is a manager who likes to rely on strong defenders, and he continued that tradition once he took over Inter Milan. Škriniar is one of the players that helped him stabilize the backline of the Italian club. It is why they are currently among the contenders to win Serie A, which would end the reign of Juventus.
Škriniar is a Slovakian player, and he proved to be an integral part of Inter’s defense. He can learn a lot from Stefan de Vrij and Diego Godin, but it is worth mentioning that Škriniar can also play as a defensive midfielder if needed. That versatility might be the primary reason why Guardiola should consider him.
Dayot Upamecano
RB Leipzig has been doing a great job with young players, and Upamecano is another confirmation of that. The German team is a contender in Bundesliga, and they are playing against Tottenham in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
That UCL tie might be important for Guardiola, too. He might be watching Upamecano see how he will perform against an EPL team. The experts currently compare Upamecano to another French center-back Raphael Varane. That is because of his strength and athleticism, and the fact he doesn’t hesitate to fight for his team whenever that requires in-play physical contact.
Diego Carlos
Diego Carlos is living the dream, although it took him more than usual to reach this stage. Sevilla acquired him from Nantes, and the Brazilian quickly became an integral part of the team’s defense.
Carlos is always ready to perform well regardless of the opponent. We believe that Guardiola notices his performances, especially since he surely knows Spanish football inside and out. The problem is that Liverpool is also very keen on signing the Brazilian center-back, and it will not be easy to secure his signature in the summer transfer window.