The January transfer window has officially opened, and Manchester City will be expected to conduct business as quickly as the sun rises.

Pep Guardiola has dismissed reports of new signings this month, claiming that the impending returns of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland are more vital than any new acquisitions. However, with John Stones out again due to injury and Josko Gvardiol failing to live up to expectations, the Spaniard will not sit back and watch competitors strengthen.

Guardiola has all but secured the deal for one star, with his team behind winners Liverpool by only two points. And now everyone is waiting to see if he feels the need to add to his crew. The Mirror Football looks at five potential Premier League transfer targets for the champions….

Claudio Echeverri

Let’s start with the obvious: unless something remarkable happens this week, a deal for Argentina’s ‘next Lionel Messi’ is practically finalized.

The 17-year-old has verbally agreed to a six-year deal with City, who will pay £22 million for him before loaning him back to River Plate for a year. It’s clear that this is a long-term deal, but City appears to have found another gem in signing Julian Alvarez from the same club.

Jean-Clair Todibo

Given that Todibo is a prominent transfer target for both Manchester United and Tottenham, a late-season move by City would be classic.

Todibo, 24, would be an excellent boost to Guardiola’s defensive options with Stones out for the foreseeable future. Nice’s outstanding performer this season, and if City swooped, the Treble champions would definitely be a more enticing option than Erik ten Hag’s current unstable ship.

Noah Mbamba

Mbamba, who played for Club Brugge as a junior, has played a significant role in Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title challenge this season.

Mbamba is mobile, strong on both feet, and capable of both bringing the ball out of the back and playing deep in midfield. With Jeremy Doku out, the 18-year-old would not only give short-term cover, but also long-term quality.

Pau Cubarsi

The Barcelona B player reportedly turned down a summer move to Manchester City in order to stay at the Camp Nou.

The 16-year-old is said to be highly appreciated by both the club’s junior academy and manager Xavi Hernandez, but the Premier League squad will not go easily. Cubarsi signed his first professional contract in July, but the triple champions have the money and nearly assured trophy to entice any kid.

Lucac Paqueta

City were hot on his track when the West Ham player became the subject of an FA betting probe in the summer.

The club promptly backed out of the prospective £80 million deal, but did not rule out a comeback in January. The 25-year-old has since denied the charges, and the investigation is still ongoing, but City are hesitant to take the risk on the Brazilian unless a lower sum can be negotiated.