Benjamin Mendy’s injury record means he cannot be relied on and Manchester City could be looking for a left-back as one of four summer signings.
Pep Guardiola had suggested there would be few additions, so the change in stance may be owing to a potential transfer ban by Fifa for alleged rule breaches regarding the signing of overseas youngsters.
Mendy cost £52m, then a world record for a defender, from Monaco in summer 2017. The 24-year-old was ruled out for most of last season because of a serious knee injury and suffered another knee problem in November. He made a single appearance in January before a relapse.
Mendy was a substitute for Wednesday’s 1-0 home win over West Ham but Guardiola said the player could not have been used and is unavailable for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth.
The three-way gallop to the line
Liverpool
3 Mar Everton (a)
10 Mar Burnley (h)
17 Mar Fulham (a)
31 Mar Tottenham (h)
6 Apr Southampton (a)
13 Apr Chelsea (h)
20 Apr Cardiff (a)
27 Apr Huddersfield (h)
4 May Newcastle (a)
12 May Wolves (h)
Manchester City
2 Mar Bournemouth (a)
9 Mar Watford (h)
16 Mar Man Utd (a)
30 Mar Fulham (a)
6 Apr Cardiff (h)
13 Apr Crystal Palace (a)
20 Apr Tottenham (h)
27 Apr Burnley (a)
4 May Leicester (h)
12 May Brighton (a)
Tottenham
2 Mar Arsenal (h)
9 Mar Southampton (a)
17 Mar Crystal Palace (h)
31 Mar Liverpool (a)
6 Apr Brighton (h)
13 Apr Huddersfield (h)
20 Apr Man City (a)
27 Apr West Ham (h)
4 May Bournemouth (a)
12 May Everton (h)
There is a question mark against Mendy’s ability to withstand the rigours of the Premier League but Guardiola said: “It’s not about English football, it’s the fact he’s not able to play. He’s injured during two seasons. If it happens in two seasons it can happen [in a third]. Hopefully not. We’ll work with that, he’s working with that, but the truth is we could use him only in a few games. At the end the strongest guys every day are there. That’s why we are looking for, maybe for the next season.
“There are three or four positions to look for, some ideas we have but it’s an option to buy one [left-back] as well as a holding midfielder. I’m not going to tell you which [other] position or players.”
Ilkay Gündogan’s contract expires in summer 2020 and the midfielder has yet to agree a new one. “If he was 100% it would have been done. We are still in negotiations,” Guardiola said. “But if he doesn’t want to, we cannot do anything else.”