There was a flurry of reports on Wednesday evening as Manchester City appear to have taken a step forward with three potential transfer targets.

City were already chasing Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov as a long-term signing rather than someone who could instantly improve the defence, while Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush would fall into the 'instant improvement' category given his 18 goals so far this season.

And now another name has emerged, with Palmeiras cente-back Vitor Reis reportedly a target - further showing City's priority could be to safeguard the future at centre-back this month.

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With John Stones aged 30 and out of contract in 2026 and struggling to prove his fitness, Nathan Ake will also turn 30 next month ahead of his contract expiring in 2027. Manu Akanji turns 30 in the summer and Ruben Dias is 27. Ake, Akanji and Dias are all on contracts until 2027.

City signed Josko Gvardiol in 2023 for £77m on a long-term deal but he has mostly been used at left-back, with the interest in Khusanov said to be with a long-term future in mind.

Reis, 18, has only made 22 senior appearances for Palmeiras and would reportedly cost around £35m, more than Khusanov, but indicates a desire to future-proof the defence even if City could end up with as many as seven centre-back options in the squad at the end of the month.

With talks for Marmoush reportedly progressing in the last 24 hours and Frankfurt refusing to close the door on a transfer, City's early January business looks to be picking up pace. Even if two targets may not be designed to deliver an instant impact to Pep Guardiola and his side.