£20m FOR BACK-UP

m h j o i ned City at f ive and has been capped by England at every level from Under-16 to U-19, said: “We play the same style all the way through, so when you step up you just try to do the same things. “When I’m not playing, I will watch the first team games on DVD and then you hear the manager shouting to you from the touch touchline, telling you wh what he wants so t that we can implement it. “I wouldn’t say I model myself on o one player. I try to le learn everything I can from every player and put it into my own game. When we are training, if I do something wrong, one of the lads will pull me to one side and try to fix it – even if they do “They’re a great set of people to be alongside. I am thankful for that.” PEP GUARDIOLA has been handed an emergency transfer kitty of £20million after telling his Manchester City bosses he has to buy a left-back in January.

City were not planning to go into the market when it opens next month.

But their defensive problems are undermining their challenge for the Premier League and Champions League and they have told Guardiola they will make money available.

That war-chest will be boosted if City can find a buyer for Gael Clichy or Aleksandar Kolarov but the Frenchman is out of contract in the summer and the Serbian’s wages could be a problem.

City have been tracking Benfica’s Alex Grimaldo, but the Portuguese club want £40m for the 21-year-old, who spent part of his youth career at Barcelona.

City had Grimaldo watched again when he played against Napoli in the Champions League this week.

Sporting director Txiki Begiristain is now looking at other options, but will not buy unless the right player becomes available.