Manchester City are planning a complete overhaul of their midfield this summer and could spend a whopping £190 million on three players in the coming weeks.
Pep Guardiola’s side have had a disappointing season by their own standards, but are still on track to secure Champions League qualification and will face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
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Major upheaval underway
City’s squad could look completely different next season. Kevin De Bruyne has already announced that he is leaving the club this summer, while experienced midfielder Ilkay Gündogan could still be sold despite a new contract extension.
The club has identified three top goals to rebuild their midfield following De Bruyne’s departure.
Florian Wirtz at the top of
Bayer Leverkusen’s wish list Bayer Leverkusen’s superstar Florian Wirtz is at the top of Manchester City’s wish list. He is valued at around 140 million euros and there is stiff competition for his signature. His elite playmaking skills and consistent goal contributions make him the perfect successor to De Bruyne.
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According to our sources, Bayern Munich have made a very good contract offer for Wirtz, while Real Madrid could also be a serious bidder, as Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso wants to take him to the Bernabéu.
TEAMtalk’s sources confirm that City met with Wirtz’s representatives on Monday, but Bayern will still be difficult to beat in the battle for the signature.
Two other exciting options
Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White is another priority target for City. The 25-year-old is valued at £45 million by Forest, and his dynamic play, fighting spirit and creative qualities have caught Guardiola’s attention.
Gibbs-White’s ability to play both as a box-to-box midfielder and an attacking playmaker suits City’s flexible system. Insiders have revealed to TEAMtalk that City are confident of completing a deal if they make an official bid, as Forest are open to negotiations at the right price. The player is also very interested in a transfer.
The third name on the list is AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders. TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent Rudy Galetti exclusively revealed City’s interest in Reijnders on December 18 last year, and now they are ready to make an official bid.
Reijnders is available for around £57 million this summer. He is considered a technical elite and has a tireless work capacity, which has made him a standout player in Serie A with 12 goals and seven assists.
Sources confirm that City have made contact with Milan, and Guardiola sees him as the ideal anchor figure to play alongside Rodri. His run in the channels is also seen as a factor that will work well with players like Omar Marmoush and Jérémy Doku.
Balancing act with financial rules
This triple-signing of around £190 million signals City’s determination to stay ahead of their Premier League rivals, but the financing of the deals will require a balancing act with the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). This could mean they have to sell young academy players like James McAtee.
As the transfer window approaches, City are showing a bold strategy – they want to have as many new signings in place as possible before the Club World Cup.
