An Etihad Crisis: Where could Manchester City be looking to strengthen during the January transfer window?

Suffering an infamous Champions League collapse against Feyenoord earlier in the week, Manchester City find themselves at the heart of an infamous rut.

Marking their return from November’s international break with a woeful 4-0 drumming at home against Tottenham, Pep Guardiola’s defending champions have broken a string of unwanted records over the past month.

Now sat eight points adrift of Liverpool and facing a real uphill battle in the race to defend their Premier League crown, the Sky Blues have also collected just a single point from any of their previous six appearances across all competitions.

Showing a string of issues on either side of November’s fortnight interval, there has also been plenty of scrutiny over City’s ageing squad.

With the January transfer window fast approaching on the horizon, we have taken a look at some of the European superstar who are reportedly topping Guardiola’s wishlist.

Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen

Spearheading Bayer Leverkusen’s charge to a maiden Bundesliga crown last season, Florian Wirtz has enjoyed a mesmeric rise to superstardom over the past 18 months.

Crowned Germany’s Player of the Year back in May and with many tipping the 21-year-old as a future Ballon d’Or contender, Wirtz is now widely regarded as one of Europe’s hottest young superstars.

Recording 22 Bundesliga goal contributions last season and featuring for Germany at the European Championship’s over the summer, Leverkusen’s academy graduate finds his stick at a red-hot high.

Despite continued speculation over interest from reigning European champions Real Madrid, TEAMtalk reported earlier in the month that Guardiola’s side are sat in the driving seat to collect what would be a huge scalp.

With that same report suggesting that Bayer Leverkusen would be willing to accept a fee in excess of £90million, City have already tentatively reached out to the reigning German champions over a potential January deal.

With Kevin De Bruyne’s contract at the Etihad set to expire this summer and neither part showing that an extension is close, Wirtz would certainly be seen as a dream long-term replacement for City’s record-breaking midfield talisman.

Martin Zubimendi – Real Sociedad

At the heart of a real transfer saga over the summer, it appeared almost certain that Martin Zubimendi was set to complete a blockbuster move to Liverpool.

However, with the Spanish international having a late change of heart, the Real Sociedad ace eventually decided to stay put at his boyhood club and reject a move to the Premier League giants.

Although the 25-year-old might have made it clear that he wanted to stay in Basque Country a few months ago, it has been suggested that Zubimendi is regretting his decision.

With Sociedad struggling to find any real stability this season, the EURO 24 winner is reportedly keen on pushing through a Premier League switch when the January transfer window opens up.

With Manchester City reportedly a long-time admirer of the Sociedad ace, The Daily Mail suggested earlier in the week that Guardiola has identified Zubimendi has his dream Rodri replacement.

Adam Wharton – Crystal Palace

While Adam Wharton might have only arrived at Crystal Palace earlier in the year following a reported £22million deal with Blackburn, the 20-year-old has enjoyed a sensational start to life among England’s elite.

Quickly emerging as one of England’s hottest young commodities, Wharton made such an impression during the early months of his tenure in south London that he was a shock including in Gareth Southgate’s EURO 24 squad.

While the former Blackburn starlet might be currently dealing with a hamstring injury, he has continued to receive a string of praise and is attracting plenty of heavyweight attention.

Gaining a reputation for his ability to break up play and control the tempo of a game from the middle of the park, Wharton appears to have a string of admirers from across City’s hierarchy.

With The Daily Mail reporting that Guardiola us a huge fan of the 20-year-old, it has been suggested that Crystal Palace would be a reluctant seller if a hefty offer came their way during the January transfer window.