Manchester City is looking to strengthen their squad during the winter transfer window, which is no longer a secret within the industry. Pep Guardiola aims to bring in a defensive midfielder to compensate for the absence of Rodri. It has been reported that Guardiola has identified a suitable candidate in the Premier League, Brighton's 20-year-old midfielder, Balaba.
In the last Premier League match, Manchester City secured a 2-0 victory away against Leicester City. Although the team has not yet returned to its best form, this win brought great joy to Guardiola. What made him even happier was the arrival of the January transfer window, as it finally allowed him to make new signings. Since Rodri's ACL injury and subsequent absence, the team has been struggling to piece together a starting lineup. Without the Ballon d'Or winner, Manchester City's performance has significantly declined.
Guardiola hopes to reinforce the midfield in January and has already pinpointed a young Premier League midfielder as his transfer target. According to Spanish media outlet fichajes, under Guardiola's leadership, Manchester City has set its sights on Carlos Balaba, the Cameroonian prodigy currently playing for Brighton. The 20-year-old Balaba has become one of the most eye-catching players in the Premier League, successfully attracting the interest of Manchester City.
Balaba joined Brighton from Lille Airport in August 2023 and has continued to improve in his performances. This season, he has played over 1000 minutes, participating in 17 matches across various competitions, contributing 3 goals and 2 assists. His experience in the Premier League makes him an ideal target for Manchester City during the winter window.
Rodri is renowned for his passing ability, and Balaba could be a similar replacement in this aspect. Over the past year, his pass success rate has been 89.4%, ranking him in the top 13% among players in his position. Defensively, he averages 2.38 tackles, 1.62 interceptions, and 0.75 clearances per game. On the Premier League midfielders' interception chart, Balaba ranks fifth despite playing two fewer games.
Over the past few months, Manchester City's results have shown that they need a significant rebuild. With Rodri's injury and the advancing age of De Bruyne and Gundogan, the rebuilding work is likely to start with the midfield. Despite Balaba's youth, he has already proven himself in the Premier League, suggesting that if he were to transfer to Manchester City, he should be able to integrate into the team seamlessly.
Therefore, Manchester City has already set its sights on this rising star in the January transfer window. This is an encouraging message, as he may play a crucial role in getting Manchester City's season back on track. On the German transfer market, the 20-year-old Balaba's value has reached 35 million euros.