Guardiola Rules Out January Reinforcements
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has ruled out adding to his squad in the January transfer window.
The champions have endured a series of defensive injury crises this season particularly after Aymeric Laporte suffered a serious knee injury at the end of August.
The Frenchman is still two months away from making a return to first team action while John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi have all been sidelined at various points this term.
Former City captain Kompany departed the Etihad Stadium last season after leading them to the title but the champions opted not to replace him.
Instead, defensive midfielder Fernandinho has been deployed as a makeshift centre back recently and forward Leroy Sane is still out with a knee injury.
The champions have slipped eleven points behind leaders Liverpool after Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Newcastle United, but Guardiola still has no intentions of bringing in additional cover in the winter.
"I don't want any players in January," Guardiola said ahead of Tuesday’s visit to Burnley.
"We cannot do it in summer, we cannot do it in January.
"When an incredible opportunity comes in January for the next four or five or six years, maybe we can think about it. But that is not possible. Normally the players we think could be interesting, [clubs] are not going to sell them.
"We could not sign a centre-back [in the summer]. We decided to adapt Fernandinho in this position and that's all. Sometimes the club wants to try to do the best but sometimes we cannot. We have to adapt with the players that we have.
