Manchester City are set for one of their biggest windows in years, as Pep Guardiola formalises plans to bring in another superstar out wide
(Image credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Manchester City are preparing for one of the biggest summers ever under Pep Guardiola, with a new winger on the horizon.
So far, only club captain Ilkay Gundogan has left the club, moving on a free transfer to Guardiola's former side Barcelona. But there could yet be big outgoings as the Citizens look to refresh a side who lifted the Treble last term.
Kyle Walker is believed to be a big target for Bayern Munich, while Bernardo Silva is courting the attention of the Saudi Pro League. Another huge departure is on now on the brink, too, with Guardiola now looking to sort a replacement imminently.
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva could yet depart the Etihad (Image credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
According to The Athletic, Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez is the target of Al Ahly, who could pay up to £30 million for the right-winger.
"By losing Mahrez, they appreciate the need to bring in a new face to replace him," Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee has confirmed.
It could be an expensive assignment, too. City have the likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva and Mahrez as options out on the flanks – and anyone else who joins will have to compete with such world-class depth.
City have been previously linked to the likes of Rafael Leao, though it's more probable that Guardiola looks for a player who can also play in midfield, after settling on Grealish and Bernardo as his first-choice wide options for their ball retention.
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City could be about to find a similar player to Jack Grealish (Image credit: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
It goes without saying, too, that the Eastlands outfit have enough money in the bank to blow competition out of the water for another wide player, having unsuccessfully bid around £90m for Declan Rice earlier this window.
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.
