Arsenal, Liverpool fears coming true as Man City size up £60m signing to spark title charge

Manchester City could thunder into the mix for a dominant Arsenal and Liverpool target who’d tip the balance in the Premier League title race in favour of Pep Guardiola’s side, per reports.

The reigning champions have picked up just seven out of a possible 18 points over their last six Premier League matches. It’s a run of form that has seen all three of Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa leapfrog the treble winners in the table.

What’s more, with their next league clash postponed due to City’s participation in the Club World Cup, City’s deficit to the leaders could hit double figures by the time they’re next in action against Everton on December 27.

One problem position for Guardiola this season has been central midfield. Rodri remains an elite performer and is arguably the best holding midfielder in England. However, the Spaniard has missed matches through two separate suspensions and City’s results have soured in his absences.

Furthermore, Kalvin Phillips does not have a future at the Etihad. Fabrizio Romano revealed on Monday morning that Juventus have opened talks with Man City regarding a January loan swoop.

Pep Guardiola has often utilised a defender alongside Rodri in central midfield. Rico Lewis, John Stones and Manuel Akanji have all been deployed there to varying degrees of success.

However, according to a fresh update from talkSPORT, City could sign a specialist in the form of Fulham’s Joao Palhinha.

The Portuguese destroyer, 28, is a formidable force in the engine room. Indeed, Palhinha led the league in tackles last season by a colossal margin of 47. His mark of 147 tackles blew away Moises Caicedo (100) in second place.

Palhinha is once again proving to be an attacker’s worst nightmare this term. His 76 tackles places him a whopping 24 clear of second-placed Vinicius Souza of Sheffield United.

Adding defensive rigidity has certainly looked required for City in recent months. Their last clean sheet in the Premier League came all the way back on October 29. Overall, City have kept just four clean sheets in the league this season.

Arsenal, Liverpool courting Palhinha too

Palhinha came close to leaving Fulham for Bayern Munich over the summer. A deal worth £60m was struck, a medical was passed and Palhinha had even undertaken early media duties with the German giants.

The move ultimately fell through after Fulham failed to line up a replacement. However, talkSPORT state Palhinha’s camp have been sounding out transfer opportunities ahead of the winter window and England’s elite are ready to succeed where Bayern failed.

Liverpool are labelled a ‘long-term admirer’ and could swoop having failed to land a top class holding midfielder in the summer.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are also in the frame amid growing concerns over Thomas Partey’s injury record. A Palhinha-Declan Rice tandem would certainly give opposing attacker’s something to think about.

But per talkSPORT, it could be Man City who snatch the Portuguese’s signature. They hint City will join the race, with Guardiola’s side labelled ‘one of those would could firm up their interest’.

It’s acknowledged a move would hinge on turfing Kalvin Phillips out first. But as Romano stated, talks to do just that involving Juventus are already underway.

City have become synonymous with hitting their straps in the second half of the season. Indeed, City won 12 in a row between February 25 to May 21 last year to breeze past Arsenal who’d led the way for the vast bulk of the season.

The addition of a dominant Premier League force such as Palhinha would only aid City’s chances of launching another post-Christmas charge.

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