Who will Manchester City sign this summer? Every player they've been linked with ahead of the transfer window

Who Manchester City will sign in a transfer window often centres on the most elite of elite footballers, with the side managed by Pep Guardiola often attracting the biggest stars from across the world.

With bags of cash to throw around, too, inflated transfer fees aren't a problem for the most successful Premier League club from the last decade - though that doesn't stop them from walking away from a deal that isn't economically sound. 

Adding high-quality players to a squad already boasting plenty of star names isn't necessarily easy, but City rarely make mistakes in the transfer market, meaning players inevitably arrive with high expectations.  

But who will Manchester City sign this summer? FourFourTwo runs through the transfer rumours doing the rounds. 

Goalkeepers

With Ederson in goal and Stefan Ortega - who arrived in the summer of 2022 - as back-up, Manchester City haven't been linked with the signing of a new goalkeeper. 

Defenders

RB Leipzig central defender Josko Gvardiol is set to be at the centre of a bidding war between Premier League clubs this summer, with Manchester City and Chelsea his most likely destinations. 

According to The Athletic, the Croatian's performances at World Cup 2022 made teams sit up and take notice, and with his £97 million release clause not becoming active until the summer of 2024, clubs might opt to test the waters this summer.

Limited at full-back, Pep Guardiola is desperate to strengthen his defensive options. As a result, a move for Ben Chilwell is on the cards for Manchester City, as per reports from Football Insider.

City reportedly attempted to sign the left-back in 2020, prior to his move to Chelsea, but he has struggled for fitness this season after suffering a lengthy hamstring injury.  Chilwell's contract at Stamford Bridge runs until 2025, though, meaning City would have to offer a considerable transfer fee to secure his services. 

If City are unable to get Chilwell, Guardiola could raid former side Bayern Munich for left-back Alphonso Davies. According to German journalist Florian Plettenberg, City are stepping up interest for Canadian full-back Alphonso Davies – and are set to compete with Real Madrid for his signature.

Sources have told Football Insider that Kieran Tierney is being eyed up by City, as the Eastlands outfit eye a natural left-back for their system. Guardiola was close to bringing Marc Cucurella to the Etihad last season, eventually losing out on the Spaniard to Chelsea. This was to replace Joao Cancelo at left-back with a natural left-footer, giving Jack Grealish the freedom to move inside while maintaining width with the system.

This term, Nathan Ake has fulfilled the role superbly but Tierney represents a fascinating option for City, given his underrated versatility.

Midfielders

With several Manchester City midfielders' futures in doubt, such as Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, the side from Eastlands will go decide to go all out for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham this summer. 

Arguably the most in demand player in the world, City are desperate to a hijack any potential deal Liverpool and Real Madrid are preparing for the signature of the England star, state The Telegraph. A nine-figure transfer fee is inevitable, meaning City will likely look to offload players before completing any deal.  

And Bellingham isn't the only deal City have an eye on hijacking.

According to Football Insider, Manchester City intend to "push Arsenal all the way" in the race for West Ham's Declan Rice. Speculation over the Hammers captain's future has swirled for many transfer windows now, but as he approaches the final 12 months of his contract, there is a sense that this summer will finally see him move on from the London Stadium.

Arsenal have been heavily linked with the £80 million man, but Rice will have options come the summer, and City are right in the thick of it. 

ESPN report that Barcelona midfielder Gavi could be available for free in the summer, should the Catalan side fail to register him with first-team by July 1. With La Liga unhappy with Barcelona flouting their spending limits, it has refused to recognise Gavi's latest contract with the club, meaning it is null and void. 

Therefore, a transfer fee might not be necessary for the diminutive midfielder, the 18-year-old having not actually signed a professional contract with Barcelona. Manchester City, naturally, are keen to swoop in and secure his services, though this will require plenty of negotiations to prise Gavi away from his boyhood club.

Hoping to steal talent from rival Premier League clubs, Manchester City are also eyeing up a move for Chelsea's Matteo Kovacic. With just a year left on his deal come the transfer window, the 28-year-old will likely be available for a cut-price - especially when considering the Blues need to make sales in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations following a tremendous amount of spending in the last two windows.

Guardiola is said to be a big admirer of Kovacic, with City willing to make a move for him, according to the Telegraph. 

Manchester City are reportedly ready to try and pinch 15-year-old starlet Ethan Nwaneri from Arsenal this summer. The attacking midfielder made history in September by becoming the youngest Premier League player ever when he made a substitute appearance against Brentford aged 15 years and 181 days, and The Telegraph report City are eager to tie him down to his first professional contract when he turns 17 in March 2024.

Forwards

Victor Osimhen is heavily linked with a transfer to the Premier League, after excelling in Serie A this campaign. Manchester City are keenly monitoring his situation, despite having Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez within their ranks.

While this would involve a hefty price tag - £132 million, according to Il Mattino - Osimhen has said it is an "ambition" to move to the Premier League one day. It seems unlikely City would make this move for that price, though, especially with the attacking options Pep Guardiola has at his disposal.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, meanwhile, recently told TNT Sports via TeamTalk that sometimes “offers can't be refused,” seemingly referencing his star striker, claiming, “I will never say never. Sometimes there are offers you can’t refuse, so you never know. To me, though, I hope we’ll see them shine for a long time.”

Rumours persist that City could yet sign a new attacker for the flanks, as Guardiola evolves his team further. Rafael Leao has been mentioned on a number of occasions. With a release clause of €150 million looking less secure as his contract expiry of 2024 looms, the superstar attacker could be a big target for the likes of City, Arsenal and Manchester United this summer, as the Rossoneri look to tie him down for longer.