Manchester City are close to adding a second young center back this January, as reports claim the club have agreed a $36 million fee with Palmeiras for 19-year-old Vitor Reis.
Reis would immediately fly to Man City, where he’d be set to join Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov — a reported $40 million buy from Lens. The teenage Reis has made 22 first team appearances for Palmeiras, where he was Team of the Year in 2024, and is a regular in the Brazil youth set-ups.
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City have also been widely linked with Eintracht Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush this window.
City have not purchased many center backs in recent seasons. They sold Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Southampton this summer and Aymeric Laporte in 2023.
They did not spend much this summer, and bought left back Josko Gvardiol in 2023 after signing Manuel Akanji in 2022. John Stones arrived in 2016 while Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake were signed in 2020.
How would Vitor Reis fit into Man City defensive corps?
Reis, who just turned 19 this week, is a 6-foot-2 defender who is a solid passer, a hard tackler, and very good in the air.
During injuries this season Guardiola gave playing time to Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who is 19. Between Simpson-Pusey, Reis, and Khusanov he’d have three center backs under the age of 21.
Dias is 27, Akanji 29, Ake 29, and Stones 30. Dias has been the most durable of a bunch that has been worn down over the past few seasons.
Guardiola would obviously prefer to slowly integrate young center backs but may not have a choice as the club navigate UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, and Premier League play — two pivotal UCL group stage matches are left just for City to likely reach the playoff round.
Khusanov seems more likely to be ready for minutes in the team, but there’s always an adjustment to Guardiola’s system unless you’re Rodri or Erling Haaland.