Manchester City January transfer dossier: Pep Guardiola eyes new full-back after Gabriel Jesus arrival

If Monday's (2 January) frosty performance is anything to go by, then Pep Guardiola is already beginning to feel the pressure after just six months in English football. In addition to conducting a fairly petulant and excruciatingly awkward interview with the BBC following Manchester City's 2-1 win over Burnley, the Catalan, who plans to remain in place for at least another three seasons, claimed that he was arriving at the end of his coaching career and that he felt the process of his goodbye had already started.

City looked every inch the title contenders during a 10-match winning streak that kicked off Guardiola's reign with a bang, but a run of three defeats in six games culminating in a New Year's Eve loss at Liverpool left the four-time champions 10 points adrift of Chelsea.

While it would be foolish to rule them out of the running at this stage, it would require a clear regression from the dominant leaders for City to reignite their hopes of sealing a first league championship since 2014.

Guardiola has already stressed that he is unlikely to spend heavily again this month after splashing £160m ($196m) on new recruits during the summer, although one or two canny additions in the right areas, particularly defensively, could have a real positive impact.

What they need

Guardiola previously admitted that he could look to add a new full-back to his squad, while it is also now being suggested by The Mail that City are stepping up their search for a new midfielder with summer signing Ilkay Gundogan lost for the season due to cruciate ligament damage and the ill-disciplined Fernandinho set to serve a four-match suspension after picking up his third red card in just six matches against the Clarets.

Who could join?

City already have one new arrival secured after Gabriel Jesus finally touched down in Manchester over the weekend. The 19-year-old Brazil striker was initially signed from Palmeiras for £27m in August, although the agreement stipulated that he would remain at Allianz Parque for the remainder of 2016.

In terms of other incomings, widespread reports last month suggested that highly-rated Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk was being lined up for a January move worth £50m. Guardiola quickly shut down those rumours, however, labelling such a switch as "impossible". According to The Daily Record, Sevilla are resigned to losing Steven N'Zonzi to either City or Juventus. The La Liga outfit are trying to extend the influential former Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City midfielder's contract and raise his current £25.6m buyout clause.

The Sun, meanwhile, have previously reported that City are ready to take advantage of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's contract stand-off at Arsenal. Antoine Griezmann, Isco, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Julian Weigl, Ryan Sessegnon, Kasper Dolberg and Antonio Rudiger have also been mentioned as possible targets.

Who could leave?

Renewed links between goalkeeper Joe Hart, currently on loan at Serie A side Torino, and Liverpool have been scotched. That aforementioned pursuit of a new midfielder could well spell the end for injury-plagued Fabian Delph, who The Chronicle report has already been subject to a loan offer from Rafael Benitez and Championship title contenders Newcastle United. Yaya Toure's future will also remain subject to speculation with his current contract due to expire in June.

Striker Wilfried Bony could become the latest player to head to China due to an apparent clause in his season-long loan deal with Stoke that would allow him to be sold to a Chinese club outright in January.

What the manager has said

"I am happy with what we have," Guardiola said before the busy festive fixture list. "Our job is to give confidence to the players we have. I'm not denying maybe we are going to look for something, I'm not saying that – but I think right now it's not going to happen and what we have to do is to convince the players that we have of their qualities.

"I'm happy with the players we have. Of course, Gabriel Jesus is coming – we have another striker."