Manchester City took two important steps to strengthen its squad during the winter transfer window. The attacking line was filled with Antoine Semeno, one of the most effective players in the English league, while Mark Guehi was drawn into the center of defense. Meanwhile, discussions are very heated around Hexi's arrival.
The reason for this is the dramatic changes that have occurred in the Citizens' defense line over the past year. Experienced leaders have left, and the youth are not yet fully prepared. Therefore, Gexi's transfer is seen as a strategic decision for City, not just a simple acquisition.
Unlucky start
2026 didn't start as expected for Manchester City. In a short period of time, Pep Guardiola's team played a total of seven matches in the Premier League, domestic cups, and Champions League, winning only two of them. The remaining matches ended in draws and defeats.
Especially the defeat in the Manchester derby and heavy losses in Norway were a serious signal for the team. The 3-1 victory over City by Budø-Glimt, who previously lacked significant experience playing in Europe, was perceived as a true sensation in the football world.
Interestingly, the population of the city where "Budø-Glimt" is located is even smaller than the capacity of "Etihad" stadium. The team's total transfer value is four times lower than Erling Haaland's. These figures clearly demonstrate how deep the problems with game quality are for City.
Cheap and reasonable shopping
Mark Gehry's purchase for £20 million is considered a major achievement in current market conditions. In reality, Manchester City could have acquired him for free in the summer, but to prevail in the competition of giants like Liverpool and Bayern Munich, the Manchester club decided not to delay.
Considering that the team spent £60 million a year ago on young central defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reys, the amount paid for Gexi seems even more logical.
Ready-made leader problem
Husanov and Reys are promising talents. But Gexi is the ready-made leader needed today. As captain of Crystal Palace, he led his team to their first ever FA Cup victory, and also became one of the most consistent defenders for the England national team.
City's main problem isn't just defense, but a lack of leaders on the field. Over the past year, experienced players like Ederson, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gündoğan, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and Manuel Akanji have left the team. Gexi was brought in precisely to fill this gap.
This transfer is not a short-term "patch." John Stones is expected to leave at the end of the season, while Nathan Ake has not fully aligned with the club's long-term plans. From this perspective, Gexi is expected to become a new pillar of City's defense.
Khusanov and Gexi's new tandem
After the injuries of Yoshko Guardiol and Ruben Dias, Guardiola was forced to return Abdukodir Khusanov to the center. Initially, the tandem with young Max Allen was promising, but in recent matches, a lack of experience became apparent.
Now, a new and very interesting duo - Abdukodir Khusanov and Mark Guehi - is expected to play together in the Manchester City defense center. The first test of this tandem can be seen on January 24th against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In short, a new chapter is opening up in City's defense. The field will show how this page will be written, but the first signs indicate that Guardiola was truly far-sighted this time.
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