Manchester City They have struggled so far this season and find themselves in an unfamiliar position, not only 12 points adrift of the top spot but also two points adrift of the top four. Premier League. The Citizens have won just 10 of their opening 20 games, drawing 4 and losing 6, which is double the three losses they lost all season last season.

although Only conceding 9.7 shots per game On average (least in the Premier League), the expected value of goals conceded per shot is very high and every time they concede Average 0.17 xG value (highest in the partition).

Much of this can be blamed on the injury to Rodri, who has been an important part of Guardiola’s side since joining in 2019, not only controlling the flow of the ball but also protecting the team in transition (this is areas they have been working on so far this event).

As these issues persist, City look ready to attack the January transfer market, filling in the gaps to improve their defensive record (particularly their ability to defend in transition) and put in a strong second half of the season to turn the situation around.

Manchester City close to completing first signing of January

according to Reporting by Fabrizio RomanoManchester City have “agreed personal terms” with Palmeiras defender Vito Reis. The scheme is reported to be worth around €40m (£33m), with agreement between the parties currently being “rapidly advanced”.

The 18-year-old has already attracted interest from a number of other clubs (Including Brighton) but City look ready to get ahead of their rivals in signing the young defender.

Manchester City have done a great job luring some of South America’s best young talents away from their home country over the past few years, with Gabriel Jesus being a prominent example.

Perhaps the best business they did in that part of the world was Julian Alvarez. Previously lured from the river bed Sold him for a huge profit (£81m)a move that is likely to be equally popular at Etihad Airways.

How does Reyes compare to John Stones?

Reis is regarded as one of Brazil’s most talented players, with data analyst Ben Martinson describing the defender as “john stone type” Because of the quality of his passing, his “pause” in possession and his intelligence in and out of possession.

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Stone only 12 appearances for Manchester City so far this seasonHe has scored three goals and kept three clean sheets in 673 minutes of playing time so far.

But City’s poor run, which began with Stones out injured and continued to worsen in his absence, points to the need for defensive reinforcement.

Reis is similar in height to Stones at 6-foot-1, but currently has a much slimmer build. However, this does not prevent him from getting into trouble. At a young age, he has an excellent understanding of how to use his body in a duel, when to attack, and when to retreat. His defensive actions per 90 highlight this, completing 1.87 tackles per 90 and winning 3.08 aerial duels.

While Stones currently ranks fairly high in passing and improvement metrics, you can identify Reis’s skill set and his underlying numbers could improve dramatically on an elite team that cycles the ball more frequently Mid-kicking as he scores almost twice as many touches/passes per 90 attempts (see Stones).

While the Brazilian centre-back is not yet a finished product, he has all the makings of an elite centre-back. Given time to develop his upper body and under the tutelage of one of the best coaches in the world, if not the best in the world, Reis could become one of the best defenders in the Premier League for years to come.

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