Manchester City are weighing up whether to sign a midfielder in the January transfer window.

The main reason for the startling loss of form that saw just one win from 13 games in all competitions from October to December was injuries to most of their centre-backs, but the absence of Rodri since September also cannot be overlooked. As the world's best player, City have not had anyone capable of replacing him and have not been helped that their main back-up Mateo Kovacic has also spent a chunk of the season sidelined.

City dismissed what would have been marquee signings of Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi before the January window even opened, viewing the former too expensive for his age profile and the latter too similar to Rodri. They remain interested in Atalanta's Ederson, but were resigned to the fact that the Italian club would not be willing to sell one of their star players in the middle of a campaign where they are riding high in Serie A and the Champions League.

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Douglas Luiz, the Juventus midfielder who signed for City in 2017 but never played a game to them due to work permit frustrations, is an option for the short-term but the club would only be looking at that deal as a temporary one for the rest of this season. Other candidates are being lined up for a permanent move, but as with Ederson there is an acceptance that the January market is difficult to secure a top target in.

City have already made the decision to bring 2024 midfield signing Claudio Echeverri into Pep Guardiola's squad for the second half of the campaign, although he will not join until next month after being allowed to represent Argentina Under-20s in a tournament. The Blues have also agreed deals for defensive duo Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis, and are finalising a move for Frankfurt attacker Omar Marmoush.