With transfer ban lurking and club missing on it’s target, Sorriano reveals plan for summer transfer window.
Fernandinho will be 34 by the start of next season, while David Silva will turn 34 midway through the 2019/20 season. Two of City’s most important midfielders are gradually coming towards the end. A long-term replacement for 33-year-old Fernandinho has long been top of City’s transfer wishlist and that will be the case again in the next window. With Ilkay Gundoogan not comitting his future at the blue half of Manchester, it seems Guardiola might have a worrisome summer. Guardiola will want to know what Gundogan is planning to do by the time the next transfer window swings open. Gundogan has started the last three Premier League games and is beginning to emerge as a more than capable stand-in for Fernandinho at the base of City’s midfield.
If he plans to walk away on a free at the end of next season it will complicate Guardiola’s plans for this summer, on several fronts. Amidst of all this Manchester City’s chief reveals the transfer plan for the Premier League champions. Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano claims there will be “some exciting new players” arriving at the club this summer. The Blues have had a £501million overhaul since Pep Guardiola became manager, and are facing a possible transfer ban from Fifa over alleged breaches of the third party ownership rules. But Soriano and the rest of the club’s transfer team are forging ahead with plans, but without any of the record-breaking forays into the market that marked the manager’s second summer in charge. The Blues are clearly not the finished article, with reinforcement desperately needed at the heart of midfield, with Fernandinho turning 34 in May. City have prioritised that position in the last three transfer windows but have been thwarted in bids for Jorginho, Fred and Frenkie De Jong. They are narrowing their options for this summer, with Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez, West Ham’s Declan Rice, Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele, Wolves’ Ruben Neves and Schalke’s Sebastien Rudy all getting favourable scouting reports.
City are also looking at the chance of adding another left-back to the squad, as Benjamin Mendy’s injury woes continue, with Ben Chilwell high on the short-list. City play their cards very close to their chest when it comes to transfers, and much of the noise around them is generated by agents desperate to link their players to City. But City will be launching their lucrative new kit deal with Puma this summer, and will want a new player or two to parade. When asked to City chief executive whether we can expect any big names to arrive this summer. He replied: “You know our squad, it’s very good. It’ll need adjustments but not a revolution. I’m sure there will be some exciting new players coming.”
Author’s Take:
Given how City have a history of missing their targets, this summer they will have to be strict about luring their targets. Guardiola has been frustrated with the club missing out on replacements on Fernandinho.
Guardiola said City could target as many as four players this summer and Soriano should fulfill it.
