Blues expected to make at least four signings in major statement of intent
It's been a busy January transfer window for Manchester City amid the club's last-ditch attempt to turn their underwhelming season around.
As if a 12-point gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool wasn't troubling enough, Pep Guardiola's quest to guide his side into the Champions League knockouts is in tatters.
Fans using ExpressVPN to safeguard their privacy while watching Man City via online streaming platforms could've seen the Cityzens slump to a 2-0 defeat at Juventus in their last European fixture of 2025.
Winless in three consecutive Champions League outings, Guardiola's charges have slipped to 22nd in the 36-team table, only a point clear of upcoming rivals Paris Saint-Germain in 26th.
Exiting Europe's top table in the newly formatted league phase would be an epic disaster for the four-time consecutive English champions, hence the club's intense transfer activity this winter.
Three impending arrivals
Per the Daily Mail, Man City and Eintracht Frankfurt have found common ground for Omar Marmoush's transfer fee, with the Etihad outfit set to dish out £67 million to bring the Egyptian to Manchester.
Marmoush has been a revelation in the Bundesliga this season, hauling a remarkable 15 goals and 10 assists across 17 league appearances to emerge as one of the division's standout performers.
His arrival should bolster City's scoring potential and make him one of the team's fiercest attacking threats alongside Erling Haaland, who signed a new long-term contract this morning.
In addition to Marmoush, the Cityzens are on the verge of announcing the deal for up-and-coming Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov for a reported fee of £33.5m.
Considered one of the hottest defensive prospects, Khusanov should help Guardiola shore up Man City's defensive shortcomings after his team conceded 29 goals in the first 21 league rounds.
Finally, Palmeiras will earn around £29.4m from Vitor Reis' imminent switch to England, with the super-talented 19-year-old one step away from penning a multi-year contract at City.
More to come
Marmoush headlines the list of the new signings worth a combined £130m, yet Guardiola's side may not pull the brakes on their January spending.
Heavily linked with a move for Juventus wing-back Andrea Cambiasso, Man City could soon launch a bid for the Italian star to replace the outgoing Kyle Walker.
After eight years of faithful service, the veteran defender has requested a transfer.
Walker has tumbled down the pecking order and is keen to cut ties with the club amid growing interest from Serie A powerhouse AC Milan.
Guardiola is open to letting the 34-year-old depart and has already earmarked Cambiasso as an ideal replacement.
However, Juventus won't let one of Thiago Motta's first-team favourites leave without a fight.
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies is reportedly a fall-back option for Cambiasso, though Man City would likely have to wait until the summer to sign the Canadian speed demon.
New-look line-up
These incoming transfers will affect several long-serving stalwarts.
Reis may not slot into Guardiola's starting line-up straight away, but Khusanov could dislodge the underperforming Nathan Ake from the best XI.
Guardiola's tactical experiments this season haven't often yielded results.
However, the Spaniard seems determined to proceed with a three-man backline and two midfielders in the double pivot.
Since Kevin De Bruyne is no longer the player he used to be before injuries, all eyes will be on Phil Foden, who seems to be finding his feet after a sluggish start.
After assisting off the bench in an 8-0 rout of fourth-tier Salford City in the FA Cup, he bagged a second-half brace in a 2-2 draw at Brentford in midweek Premier League action.
Foden's return to form could be a season-changing moment for Man City while waiting to see how Marmoush will adapt to the new surroundings.
Jack Grealish's stuttering form has derailed his status at the Etihad, and Marmoush's arrival could accelerate the Englishman's departure.
Man City new-look XI (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Akanji, Khusanov, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Nunes; Savinho, Foden, Silva, Marmoush; Haaland.