Man City face Champions League headache as Pep Guardiola eyes January fifth signing

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is leading a huge £250m transfer window spending spree that could see up to six new faces at the Etihad this month – but he's giving himself a headache for the Champions League.

Following the club's decision to secure back-to-back Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland a nine-and-a-half year contract extension, the champions had initially planned to wait for new director of football Hugo Viana to be formally appointed this summer . , but this has now been abandoned.

Instead, Viana worked closely with current negotiator Txiki Begeristain to finalize deals for Eintracht Frankfurt's Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush, Lens' Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov and Brazilian teenage central defender Vitor Reis from Palmeiras.

Juventus' Italian international full-back Andrea Cambiaso could also arrive at the Etihad, costing him almost £190million. City also have young Argentine playmaker Claudio Echeverri following the South American Under-20 Championships next month.

Additionally, Guardiola wants to make an acquisition on January 5 by adding a new defensive midfielder, despite UEFA rules allowing only three new arrivals to register for the Champions League.

It was a significant show of ambition from City after Guardiola's thwarted bid to win a fifth consecutive title due to injuries and an aging squad.

Guardiola detailed the club's transfer strategy: “We are going to try to do something now when we were going to do it in the summer.”

“It has moved forward a few months because of the situation. We wouldn't do it (buy new players) if our players were fit, but today I think we have two central defenders, no more, and with our midfielders, we are in difficulty.

“The situation means we have to do it as soon as possible. After eight years together we have so many players over thirty and the other reason is the number of problems we have with player availability.

“It’s a completely normal process, especially because we have played less than eleven teams in the Premier League in the last five years.

“All the big clubs in the Premier League have done it. And now, because our players are not consistent, we have to add players. We have no other choice. We have no alternatives. “

“If the players were fit, we wouldn't go to the market. Absolutely not.”

City face Ipswich this weekend, aware that they are in an uphill battle to secure a place in the top four after a run of unfavorable results which included just three wins in their last 13 Premier League games.

Additionally, Guardiola is dealing with an accumulation of injuries, headlined by the loss of valuable player Rodri for the remainder of the season due to a devastating cruciate tear.

Striker Haaland is also among those trying to get back fit in time for the game at Portman Road, alongside absentees Ruben Dias and John Stones.

Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Mateo Kovacic and Jeremy Doku have all had long spells on the bench.

With a large number of players now grappling with the physical demands of implementing Guardiola's strategy as they enter their 30s, it seems likely that several big names who helped him win six of the last seven titles will follow Kyle Walker to AC Milan.

However, Guardiola has hinted that De Bruyne's steady return to fitness and form could earn him a contract extension when his current deal expires and he approaches his 34th birthday this summer.

Guardiola added: “Of course it can happen. Kevin feels better. He talks about 'I feel better, I feel better because I've been struggling a lot for five years.'” “There is no no player at this age, even younger, who cannot play without worries or problems.

“But some issues are harder to deal with than others – and Kevin has fought hard against these issues and has shown an incredible work ethic.”