Manchester City put on hold over pursuit of main transfer objective in January transfer window | OneFootball

Officials at Manchester City are continuing to await clarity over the intentions of Martin Zubimendi ahead of the January transfer window.

The Premier League champions are currently in the midst of an adjustment period within their own squad as they acclimatise to a prolonged period without their defensive midfield mainstay, Rodri.

The recently-crowned Ballon d’Or winner is ruled out for the remainder of the ongoing campaign having sustained a double knee injury during the 2-2 draw with Arsenal earlier this season.

With Pep Guardiola having attempted solutions that have included the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, and Rico Lewis operating in the position left by Rodri, some believe that Manchester City have become aware of the need for fresh legs and impetus in the role.

As such, that has left the Premier League champions continuously linked with a number of names from across the European game, and particularly the Italian top-flight, but with their priority option currently in Spain, if the latest information is accurate.

According to the information of Spanish newspaper Sport, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, Real Sociedad and Spain international midfielder Martin Zubimendi is Manchester City’s ‘objective’ for the upcoming winter transfer market.

It is pointed out that Zubimendi has a €60 million release clause in his Sociedad agreement, and while the player has not made a firm decision over his future at the La Liga club, Manchester City will have to wait in order to find out his intentions.

Other names to have been tenuously linked with interest from the Etihad Stadium include Torino and Italy international Samuele Ricci, who is also understood to be at the centre of monitoring from elsewhere in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola has previously insisted that business in the January market remains far from a certainty, especially given the fact that their injury situation may be vastly improved by that stage of the season.

Alongside the shorter-term returns within the first-team squad, Manchester City are also likely to welcome back Oscar Bobb from his fractured leg sustained prior to the opening game of the Premier League season in August.

The Norway international was on the verge of what many were anticipating to be his true breakout season, and Guardiola believes the player can also be a suitable back-up to Erling Haaland in the centre-forward role.