Manchester City will sign Spanish defender Sergio Gomez from Belgian side Anderlecht, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday, as the Premier League champions seek to address their lack of depth at the club. left back position.

After Ukraine international Oleksander Zinchenko left for Arsenal, City began their title defense with Portugal’s João Cancelo as their only starting left-back.

Midfielder-turned-left-back Gomez, 21, will compete for a first-team spot, Guardiola told reporters, after impressing at Anderlecht under former City captain Vincent Kompany last season.

“He is a young and talented player from the Barcelona academy, he went to Borussia Dortmund, but he didn’t get many minutes and in the last year Kompany gave him a chance,” Guardiola said. “He has played well, we have targeted him to bring him here.”

Gómez has played 30 times for Anderlecht since joining in June 2021. He has also represented Spain at youth levels, including at the 2017 Under-17 World Cup, where they lost to England in the final.

British media reported that City and Anderlecht had agreed a deal worth an initial 11 million pounds ($13.33 million) for Gomez.

“He is an extraordinary player,” added Guardiola. “He is going to stay with us, along with João.”