Manchester City eye Nottingham Forest defender as potential replacement for Kyle Walker | OneFootball

Premier League champions Manchester City are reportedly eyeing a move for one of Nottingham Forest’s standout players during their remarkable season so far.

Etihad Stadium bosses are understood to be targeting somewhat of an overhaul of Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad across the January and summer transfer markets of 2025, with an awareness that the current crop of players may have reached their best-before date.

Performances this season have no doubt slumped, and while Guardiola and other players within the squad will be keen to point out the injuries that have affected options available, supporters would not shy away from calling out ageing legs in certain positions.

The latter is something Manchester City’s hierarchy are aware of too, and the belief is that tough decisions will not be avoided when it comes to shifting players in and out of the Etihad first-team roster this year.

Among the roles to come under the spotlight will no doubt be the right-back position, as club captain Kyle Walker continues to see a downturn in his own capabilities and Rico Lewis takes on more responsibility in numerous roles in-game.

Now, according to the information of The Sun newspaper, Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina is on Manchester City’s transfer wish-list as they search for a long-term replacement for club captain Kyle Walker.

It is claimed that officials within the City Ground are keen to tie down the 28-year-old ‘quickly’ as his contract runs out at the end of the ongoing season, and the player has not been targeting a move himself and remains ‘hugely popular’ amongst supporters.

Another name that could come into Pep Guardiola’s thinking in the very near future due to his ability to operate at right-back, centre-back, and shift into defensive midfield, is Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich.

The Manchester City manager knows the German international very well from their time working together at the Allianz Arena, and Etihad officials will no doubt be monitoring his situation with great interest with the player having not committed his future to his club yet.

Other names that Manchester City could turn to for the right-side of defence remain unknown at this stage, with priority positions in the January transfer window expected to be centre-back, central midfield, and the attacking positions, should the right profile become available.