Manchester City have been linked with a number of players this transfer window. The Champions will look to make further inroads in Europe and at the same time attempt to continue their domestic domination in the coming season.
While a number of names have been bandied around, there are a few which have stuck.
Let us take a moment to briefly rate the likeliness of the following transfers as Pep Guardiola looks to upgrade his seemingly perfect machinery with a couple of shiny new components.
JOAO FELIX- 1/10
The Portuguese sensation was linked during the early stages of the window, especially when Leroy Sane’s exit rumours were going strong. But a lot of water has gone under the bridge since with the German looking increasingly likely to remain at the Etihad. And according to the latest reports, Joao Felix is days away from being announced as an Atletico Madrid player with the Spanish club looking to fill the void which Griezmann’s imminent exit will cause.
But with the deal yet to be announced, in football, we should ideally refrain from completely ruling out any possibility.
HARRY MAGUIRE- 8/10
Vincent Kompany bid farewell to the club where he rose to the rank of a legend and has left a huge chasm in the defensive ranks. And with Nicolas Otamendi getting understandably restless with the lack of minutes, a number of defensive options were touted as City’s potential targets.
Amongst them, the name which has stuck is that of English star Harry Maguire. Manchester United are known admirers of the towering centre-half but according to latest reports, City seem to have leapfrogged them to the front of the queue with Maguire apparently telling friends he prefers a move to the Etihad.
There will be expected haggling with Leicester City regarding the transfer fee but if Pep wants to go ahead with the move, City are unlikely to step away with the transfer so close.
READ MORE: WHY HARRY MAGUIRE IS THE PERFECT DEFENDER FOR PEP GUARDIOLA
KALIDOU KOULIBALY- 2/10
Another name which made a surprise entry onto City’s potential list of targets. Another player who is being chased by Manchester United.
With City’s need for a defensive player, Koulibaly is certainly not the worst option and might well be, in terms of quality, the best of the lot. But a number of factors might push City towards a more concrete pursuit of Maguire. The English ace will boost the homegrown quota in the club. He is two years younger than the Senegalese and will ply his trade for City throughout the peak of his career. And lastly, the transfer fee touted for the two of them sport distinctly different looks.
Napoli are apparently demanding an eye-watering figure of £134m for his services while the transfer fees in circulation for Maguire is around the £80m mark, which although, a record fee for a defender as well as for City, pales in comparison to the Napoli ace’s valuation.
RODRIGO CASCANTE (RODRI)- 9/10
Pep Guardiola’s search for Fernandinho’s long-term replacement is not a secret nor are his futile attempts over the past year or so to close a number of other transfers.
The 23-year-old has been touted as the perfect replacement for Fernandinho and is in fact expected to be an upgrade, especially in the defensive department of the game. The Spaniard has been in the midst of a transfer tussle involving Bayern Munich and Manchester City with both clubs ready to meet his release clause of £62m.
READ MORE: PREDICTED MANCHESTER CITY XI WITH RODRI IN THE STARTING XI
But according to reports from Germany, City have apparently won this particular race and the transfer will be announced in the coming weeks.
ANGELINO – 7/10
Manchester City are reportedly interested in exercising the buy-back option for left-sided fullback Angelino as Pep looks to be well stocked in the area which has been City’s biggest weakness in recent seasons.
But with Benjamin Mendy on his way to full fitness, Oleksandr Zinchenko impressing and Aymeric Laporte possessing the ability to play in that position, there is a chance that Pep might ultimately decide against re-signing the Spaniard who will have to spend a major amount of time on the bench if the move does materialise.
