Manchester City’s need for a centre-back to partner captain Vincent Kompany hasn’t been solved for over two years. Recent defensive performances in the Premier League reinforce the need for another top quality central defender in the side.
Martin Demichelis was signed after Joleon Lescott’s decline in 2013, and although he has impressed at times, he still looks short of being a top defender for City. Just under £32 million was spent on 23-year-old French centre-back Eliaquim Mangala from Porto in the summer but he too has had a tough time in adjusting to life in the Premier League.
With Matija Nastasic being loaned out to Schalke and Dedryck Boyata someway off being good enough for Man City, the need for a new central defender is clear. Here are FOUR centre backs that City should look to bring in:
Mehdi Benatia
The 27-year-old Moroccan central defender was linked with a move to Man City in the summer and they nearly signed him before Bayern Munich snapped him up for around £20 million from Roma. The Moroccan international has 34 caps for his Country and is someone that has been on City’s radar for a while.
Limited to just eight league appearances so far for Munich, a move away wouldn’t be a bad choice, especially as he would be guaranteed first team football at the Etihad. Benatia is an extremely efficient defender who is very strong and reliable in the heart of defence. A born leader and winner, he is a similar defender to Vincent Kompany which would allow both players to form a partnership that can elevate City to the next level.
Mats Hummels
The Express have reported that City retain an interest in signing Hummels despite the 26-year-old defender being linked heavily with a move to the other side of Manchester. With Borussia Dortmund struggling in the Bundesliga, a move away from the club is seemingly most probably in the summer.
Dortmund’s captain was extremely impressive in Germany’s World Cup triumph, which led him to being shortlisted for the player of the tournament award. Hummels is another with great leadership qualities and excellent positioning attributes that make him a world-class central defender. City will have to battle bitter rivals Man United to secure his signature, but he would be worth every penny of City’s limitless pot of gold.
Thiago Silva
Brazilian international Thiago Silva might now be 30 but has proven himself to be one of the best centre-backs in World football. Silva was an excellent servant to AC Milan and has performed well since his move to PSG in 2012. At the World Cup in Brazil, Silva showed what an influential and world-class defender he was when captaining the host nation.
Inspired performances helped Brazil make it to the semi-finals where Silva missed the demolition to Germany through suspension. The Germany match demonstrated what a key player Thiago Silva is and how much they missed his leadership qualities. Silva would be a very expensive signing which makes Man City one of the few teams that can lure him away from Paris.
Gerard Pique
Former Man United defender Gerard Pique has been a fantastic addition to Barcelona since joining the Spanish giants in 2008. He was never given a fair chance at United and was sold for a bargain price of £4 million. The 27-year-old made nearly 300 appearences at Barcelona and has won two Champions League titles with the side.
He also played a key part in Spain’s World Cup success in 2010 and their Euro 2012 triumph. A solid defender with tremendous ball playing qualities, it has been suggested in the Daily Start that Pique could be available for as little as £24million, which is a great price for a defender of his quality. Pique would be the perfect complement for Kompany in defence and elevate Manchester City to another level.
