Three signings prioritised as City aim for £100m spree to halt Liverpool

Pep Guardiola is looking to sign three players in January in a minimum £100m swoop aimed at closing the widening gap between Manchester City and Liverpool, claims a report.

The Blues slipped a huge nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday after a 3-1 defeat at Anfield inflicted their third loss already of the campaign; an unfamiliar feeling under Guardiola’s leadership.

But according to the Daily Mail, Guardiola is ready to splash the cash in January in a bid to try and close down Liverpool, but more importantly to ensure their own bid for glory – which this season might just have to focus on the cup competitions, and in particular, the Champions League – remains on track.

Top of Guardiola’s wish-list will be a replacement for Vincent Kompany at the heart of defence, with the talismanic Belgian never replaced in the summer despite City’s interest in Harry Maguire, who eventually opted for Manchester United.

The injury sustained by Aymeric Laporte has forced City to play Fernandinho as a makeshift centre-half, but the Brazilian’s absence in the midfield has created an issue in its own right.

It’s also claimed Guardiola will prioritise a midfield replacement for David Silva, despite wanting Phil Foden to eventually step into his shoes. The popular Spanish star has announced this will be his final season at the Etihad and has been strongly linked with a move to new MLS franchise Inter Miami.

The City manager also wants a long-term replacement for another of long-serving legends in Sergio Aguero, with the capture of another striker wanted in order to keep the Argentine and Brazilian Gabriel Jesus on their toes.

The defeat at Anfield has certainly caused an awareness in the City camp of a widening chasm between themselves and Jurgen Klopp’s side, with midfielder Rodri suggesting everything appears to be falling into place for the Merseysiders.

“We are far from them now, but there is still a big part of the season left. We are not going to give up,” said the Spain international.

“We are the current champions and we are not going to make it easy for anyone. Absolutely not (the Premier League is over).

“This team has shown it many times before. This team has won the Premier League two seasons in a row and that isn’t a coincidence.

 

“This team has earned the respect in being considered for the title race.

“Last season, the team was seven points behind and it could have been 10 in case of losing (their match in hand), and they managed to win the league in the end.

“We are in November. There is still a lot left. They (Liverpool) are very strong at the moment and they are having everything (go) right. Let’s see what happens in the future.”

Meanwhile, Raheem Sterling has spoken out after he was dropped from the England squad after he allowed a spat with Liverpool defender Joe Gomez to spill over into international duty.