Manchester City agree major deal for defender, with another to be closed in coming weeks: report

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaks to supporters on the day of his presentation as manager in July 2016.

Pep Guardiola is looking like closing another deal (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester City have agreed a move for a defender ahead of the new season.

This summer has been one of the most hectic since Pep Guardiola joined the club, with plenty of turnover in the squad and the small matter of the Club World Cup to compete in, over in the United States.

Guardiola has successfully regenerated his squad ahead of the new season – but business is still ongoing in the background, as Manchester City look to wrestle back the title from Liverpool.

Manchester City have completed one of two deals set for the rest of the window

Man City trickster Rayan Cherki is bound to make headlines this season — It's been a busy summer at the Etihad (Image credit: Getty Images)

City have spent heavily this summer, with Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Sverre Nypan arriving to strengthen the midfield, Rayan Ait-Nouri adding depth in defence and James Trafford re-joining to challenge Ederson between the sticks.

This is in addition to an unusually productive January window – after Guardiola admitted he should have spent more the previous summer – in which the Sky Blues brought in Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez.

Omar Marmoush of Manchester City looks on during the FA Cup quarter-final against AFC Bournemouth, March 2025 — Omar Marmoush signed from Eintracht Frankfurt in January (Image credit: Alamy)

With the squad taking shape ahead of a new campaign, the eight-time Premier League winners are now addressing leaders within the squad and finalising deals to reflect their statuses.

The Athletic's David Ornstein has revealed that a deal has been agreed in principle to extend the contract of Ruben Dias – who is ranked at no.10 in FourFourTwo's list of the best centre-backs in the world right now – while transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is next in line.

“Manchester City are set to offer new contract to Rodri valid until June 2029,” Romano claimed, fending off interest from Real Madrid to keep the Spanish no.6.

FourFourTwo understands that City have no plans to cash in on Rodri – who previously held the record for being the club's record signing – who will be 33 by the time his new contract expires, while Dias' new deal will also likely be his last major long-term contract, given that he is 28.

Ruben Dias is staying at Manchester City (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Capology, Erling Haaland is still the highest earner at the Etihad by some way, a contract worth £525,000-a-week, with Dias and Rodri earning £180,000-a-week and £220,000-a-week, respectively.

Dias is worth €65 million, as per Transfermarkt.

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Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.

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