Manchester City have been totally reformed under Pep Guardiola’s watchful eye and even though Liverpool have seized the initiative in the current Premier League campaign, the Citizens are still a force to be reckoned with in England.

However, with 14 goals conceded in 13 games, their defence remains something Guardiola needs to address if he is to keep up with Jurgen Klopp’s side this season.

One particular area of interest he should be looking into is definitely his left-back situation.

Benjamin Mendy, for all his qualities, turned out to be a far riskier and injury-prone option than Guardiola could have anticipated.

With numerous fitness issues throughout 2018/19 and one already behind him in 2019/20, the 25-year-old Frenchman is not a reliable solution for a team that’s chasing their third Premier League title in a row.

But there is one player that fits the criteria of being a Guardiola full-back through and through: Jose Gaya.

The 24-year-old left-back is currently plying his trade over at Valencia in Spain and even though he still has a long way to go, he is already one of the hottest prospects in that position.

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Recently, he was actually linked to Manchester United but has everything City would need in a full-back.

Guardiola traditionally likes full-backs that can attack – which is visible in both Mendy and Kyle Walker as the Frenchman has averaged one key pass and 1.5 dribbles per game this season, while he provided five assists in his last season at Monaco in Ligue 1.

Walker, meanwhile, already has one goal and two assists to his name in the ongoing campaign – and Gaya would definitely meet that criteria.

After all, he’s been able to net five goals and 22 assists during his stay with Valencia’s senior team and can also boast decent figures, with 0.4 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per game this season in La Liga.

Let’s not forget the amazing defensive work that he does with 2.1 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game so far in the league and not to mention that he has been dribbled past just 0.4 times per game.

Of course, he is still young and he could undoubtedly improve under Guardiola.

But even at this stage of his career, he can boast experience in La Liga, Europe and the international stage, as he has won seven caps for Spain’s senior team as well.

Gaya might not be the most hyped name on the market or someone as developed as the likes of Alex Sandro or David Alaba, but with Guardiola’s guidance and his innate talent, he could very well become a perfect solution for Manchester City.