Why Man City must sign Caglar Soyuncu from Leicester City
According to a report by Sky Sports, defending champions Manchester City are interested in making a move for Leicester City duo Caglar Soyuncu and Jonny Evans in January.
The pair have been defensively rock-solid for the Foxes, conceding just eight goals in 12 Premier League appearances – the lowest by any English side this season.
Meanwhile, City are now one point behind the Foxes and nine behind league leaders Liverpool, after suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the latter.
The defeat has left Pep Guardiola’s City reeling in the 4th spot. As a result, the six-time Premier League champions must seek a revival of fortunes to keep their hopes of a title run alive.
With half the season almost over, City have already conceded a total of 13 goals, which is poor by their own high standards.
Also, City suffered a major setback early in the season when they lost star defender Aymeric Laporte to a knee injury. The Frenchman has so far featured in only four games for the defending champions.
Meanwhile, Guardiola’s failure to find a replacement for former skipper Vincent Kompany seems to have backfired after their defensive woes were clearly exposed against the Reds.
Even though signing both defenders seems hugely unlikely, City should definitely pursue their interest in the 23-year-old Soyuncu.
Brought in from German side SC Freiburg for a fee of £19m, Soyuncu has established himself as an undisputed starter in the Foxes’ first-team this season.
With Harry Maguire departing to Manchester United in the summer, Soyuncu has formed one of the most formidable centre-back partnerships alongside the experienced Evans under new manager Brendan Rodgers.
Statistically, the young centre-half has been Leicester’s best defender on the pitch with consistent displays and an overall rating of 7.25.
With City defender John Stones just recovering from an injury and veteran Nicolas Otamendi out of favour, Guardiola has had to bank on Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho to carry out the defensive responsibilities.
Nevertheless, the match against Liverpool clearly laid bare City’s ongoing troubles at the back.
Verdict
Having lost three matches already, Guardiola and City must be wary of slip-ups in the days to come.
Hence, it is high time for the Premier League winners to find a solution to their defensive woes and none Soyuncu would be a perfect fit.
Read more:
- Three potential targets to replace Vincent Kompany at Man City
- Why Manchester City must plot a January swoop for Kalidou Koulibaly
- Why Man City should sign Ousmane Dembele to replace Leroy Sane
With years of football still left in him and the consummate calmness with which he guards the Foxes’ backline, Guardiola must leave no stone unturned in signing Soyuncu.