Club World Cup gives Man City perfect £40m transfer solution for new target

Manchester City are looking to the future with another teenage centre-back targeted in January.

City desperately need reinforcements to help them through a difficult season, but are equally using the winter transfer window to get ahead on the rebuild Pep Guardiola has targeted for the coming years.

As well as Abdukodir Khusanov, now the Blues are said to be chasing a deal worth up to £40m for Palmeiras centre-back Vitor Reis.

However, with four central defenders already on City's books, both targets look like having the future in mind rather than designed to have an instant impact.

Reis fits the profile of a City signing from South America in January - talented, one for the future, and who could remain on loan at his current club for six or 12 months. City have done the same with Gabriel Jesus, Julian Alvarez, Maximo Perrone and Claudio Echeverri in the recent past.

The Athletic report that Palmeiras would like to keep Reis for the Club World Cup in the summer, with City also set to compete in the tournament. Palmeiras are in a group with Porto, Al Ahly and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. The teenager may have more chance of getting the most out of that tournament in a Palmeiras shirt rather than a City one, especially as the earliest the Brazilian side and City can meet is the semi-finals.

If Reis is not expected to challenge for a City starting spot immediately, keeping him in Brazil has clear advantages. With Brighton and others reported to be chasing him, winning that race in January is a tactic City have employed in the past before postponing arrivals to continue development away from the spotlight.

As ever, the decision can then be taken over whether City bring that player into the first team building or seek another