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According to the Telegraph, the upcoming summer spending spree could topple over £270 million as they target three more additions to improve the squad. Manchester City will be looking for more signings after exiting the Champions League in disappointing fashion, along with adding to their domestic success of this season.
City’s hierarchy is prepared to shell out more money for Pep Guardiola once again, who has already spent over £450 million since his arrival two years ago. According to these reports, City are targeting a holding midfielder, a versatile forward/winger and another center-back.
The most linked players at midfield have been Julian Weigl of Borussia Dortmund, Jorginho of Napoli, Fred of Shakhtar Donetsk and Jean-Michel Seri of Nice. It is expected that City’s top target is Weigl, who has the most upside and potential of all of these players. Fred, who has been heavily linked with City, seems to have gained interested from other English teams, specifically Manchester United, and they appear to be the front runners to sign him in the summer.
City have been heavily linked with a move for another forward, specifically a winger, but nothing concrete has really surfaced as of late. According to this report, City do have a keen interest in AS Monaco’s Thomas Lemar, who could cost up to £90 million. City tried and failed to sign Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City in the winter, and Pep Guardiola still has an interest in the player, so it’s a strong possibility that City could return in the summer to bring Mahrez along.
The Algerian would fit perfectly in Pep’s attack, where he would compete and rotate with Leroy Sané and Raheem Sterling on the wings. This report also states that City are interested in Eden Hazard, and there have been numerous reports on this before. But it’s unlikely that this ever happens. If he were to leave Chelsea, it would likely be to Real Madrid.
The center-back position is interesting since the Blues have already invested heavily in the position over the past two seasons, securing John Stones and Aymeric Laporte. According to the Telegraph’s report, Pep Guardiola is still thinking about adding another center-back, and that will likely depend on where he stands with Vincent Kompany’s health. A player that has surfaced and been linked with City throughout the year is Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur. Pep is apparently a big fan of the player, who could cost up to £40 million. He is expected to leave Spurs, having failed to sign a new contract.
City’s eagerness for success in all competitions, especially the Champions League, makes competition within the squad a priority in almost every transfer window.
City will probably win the Premier League and complete a domestic double. But with how they dramatically crashed in the Champions League, they will make it a priority next season to improve and challenge for that trophy. The squad is excellent, but our depth must improve. City are still relying too much on certain individuals without much rest for them, and part of our problem this past week was tired legs.
Players like Kyle Walker, Nicolas Otamendi, David Siva, Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandinho need to be carefully managed and kept fresh if we are to challenge for multiple titles every season. To carry success from this year into the next, City must improve the squad, because it will never be easy to repeat what you did the previous season. Just ask Chelsea.