Tue Jan 14 08:10:09 UTC 2025: ## Man City Boss Admits January Transfer Window Needed After Injury Crisis and Faltering Title Defence
**Manchester, England** – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted the club needs to bolster its squad during the January transfer window, acknowledging a previous decision to forgo summer signings was a mistake. The reigning Premier League champions are currently languishing in sixth place, a full 12 points behind leaders Liverpool (with a game in hand), following a string of injuries and a significant dip in form.
Guardiola revealed that he had initially advised against summer signings, but the subsequent injuries to key players like Rodri (who ruptured knee ligaments in September), John Stones, and Ruben Dias have forced a change of strategy. “In the summer the club thought about [signings] and I said: ‘No, I don’t want to make any signings’,” Guardiola stated. “But after the injuries maybe we should have done it.”
The club’s struggles are evident in their six league defeats this season. City’s last significant January signing was Aymeric Laporte in 2018. While Guardiola couldn’t confirm reports linking the club with Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov, he indicated that the club is actively exploring transfer options to address their defensive woes.
Adding to the team’s difficulties, right-back Kyle Walker has reportedly requested a transfer, though Guardiola declined to comment on the situation. The manager’s immediate focus remains on City’s upcoming match against Brentford. The club’s title defence appears highly unlikely given their current position and the significant gap to the top of the table.
First Piper 