Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he wants to sign goalkeeper Scott Carson on a permanent deal from Derby County.

Carson is currently in his second consecutive season on loan at The Etihad from Derby, and to date, has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Premier League giants.

But despite that, it seems Guardiola has been impressed enough with the 35-year-old, to want to keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.

Discussing the goalkeeping situation at his club, Guadiola was quoted by The Manchester Evening News as saying: "We have two top keepers and even the fourth one, [James] Trafford, is a guy who is growing really really well. And then we have one player, one 'keeper that is so important for us, and that is Scott Carson."

Explaining the influence that Carson has around Manchester City, and his hopes for the future with regards to the goalkeeper, Guardiola added: "He is like a captain behind the scenes, like Fernandinho. He is not noticed in the papers or on the field because he is the third keeper but in the locker room he is like another captain.

"He is so important and hopefully he can stay longer with us in the next years."

In total, Carson has made 171 appearances in all competitions for Derby following his move from Wigan in the summer of 2015.

As things stand, there are just six months remaining on Carson's contract at Pride Park, meaning he could be a free agent come the summer.

The Verdict

This revelation from Guardiola is certainly interesting to think about.

The Manchester City manager's comments are testament to Carson's attitude and ability, and you can understand why he would want to keep the goalkeeper around in that case.

Given the size and success of the club, you also imagine that an extended stay at Manchester City could well be appealing for Carson.

But at 35-years-old, you wonder if he may well want one last chance to play regular first-team football in his career, something he is ultimately unlikely to get if he remains at The Etihad.