Manchester City need to invest during the January transfer window due to injury problems and a faltering Premier League campaign, manager Pep Guardiola has said, acknowledging it may have been a mistake to rule out signings in the summer.
“In the summer the club thought about [signings] and I said: ‘No, I don’t want to make any signings,” Guardiola told reporters on Monday.
“I relied a lot on these guys and thought I can do it again. But after the injuries maybe we should have done it.”
City’s title defence looks all but over after six league defeats have left them sixth in the standings and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand.
Guardiola’s side have missed Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri, who ruptured knee ligaments in September, and have suffered injuries to defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias.
City have not made a significant signing in January since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte for $69.67m from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.
Guardiola could not confirm whether a deal has been done to bring in Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
“The club didn’t announce anything. I don’t know,” he said.
“Rodri is impossible but the other ones [injured players] I want back. If it would have happened I wouldn’t be going to the transfer window this season. Absolutely not.
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