Guardiola can resolve Man City's problem area with January transfer move

After Manchester City's reported £120million bid for Harry Kane was rejected over the summer, questions are being asked about where that money will be spent over the next 12 months.

Pep Guardiola's pursuit of Kane filled the headlines for the majority of the transfer window, with it looking increasingly likely that the 28-year-old would be playing his football at the Etihad Stadium for the 2021-22 campaign.

However, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy stood by his £160m asking price for the England captain and Man City simply could not afford to match their demands after spending £100m on Jack Grealish.

But now that is known Guardiola has a triple-figure budget to spend, combined with the likelihood of some players leaving the club in the near future, the Spaniard may be able to make some more additions to his squad.

Theo Hernandez impressed at AC Milan last season ( Image:

2020 Jonathan Moscrop)

According to The Sun, City are keeping tabs on AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez, who is thought to be valued at £68m.

The 23-year-old made 33 appearances for the Serie A outfit last season, scoring seven and assisting five, with his attacking output catching the eye.

And it is Hernandez' presence in the final third is thought to be what is most attractive to Guardiola as he looks to bolster his options in left-back.

Currently, the former Barcelona boss has Oleksandr Zinchenko, a central midfielder, Nathan Ake and Joao Cancelo to choose from - none of whom are natural left-backs - so that is likely to be an area of priority in the coming months.

In Guardiola's system, there is pressure on the full-backs to push on and provide a threat in the box, as well as tucking in to outnumber teams in central midfield - hence why Zinchenko has been used as a makeshift left-back in recent years.

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Pep Guardiola is keen to sign a natural left-back

Hernandez came through the academy system at Atletico Madrid before making a loan move to Alaves, where he impressed and caught the interest of local rivals Real Madrid.

The Santiago Bernabeu outfit paid his €24m (£20m) release clause to sign him in 2017, but he never managed to displace Marcelo in his short time at the Santiago Bernabeu and was whisked away on loan to Real Sociedad, before being sold to Milan in 2019.

The French defender has all the attributes of a modern day full-back: he passes the ball well, is intelligent in both boxes and has an abundance of pace and energy, meaning he can make similar covering runs in the style of Kyle Walker.

Hernandez made his international debut for France earlier this week in a 2-0 victory over Finland, playing as a left-wing back in Didier Deschamps' 3-5-2 system.

Theo Hernandez is known for charging forward and joining the attack

He made 59 accurate passes, with 42 of them being in the final third, showcasing how he essentially operated as a winger when Les Bleus were in possession, which will be music to the ears of Guardiola.

It remains to be seen whether City go back in for Kane next season, with The Times reporting that the striker is willing to negotiate with Spurs for a new bumper contract that will increase his weekly wage.

If Kane decides to stay at his boyhood club and the funds are still available to Guardiola, he will relish the chance to finally resolve his problem area with the capture of Hernandez.