Pep Guardiola is targeting as many as eight signings
for Manchester City in the transfer window, club
sources have told ESPN FC.
Guardiola will replace Manuel Pellegrini at the Etihad
this summer and has prioritised the signings of
Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte and
Everton's John Stones to reshape City's defence.
City's new transfer plans could see the club spend
over £300 million gross this summer and Stones is
expected to cost upwards of £35m, despite his
difficulties at Everton lately, with Manchester United
and Chelsea also seen to sign the versatile England
international. French international Laporte signed a
new contract with Bilbao in June that reportedly
contains a €50m release clause but he fractured his
ankle playing for France under-21s against Scotland
last month and that could shelve Guardiola's plans.
Despite City's high number of purchases last year --
they spent over £100 million on Raheem Sterling and
Kevin De Bruyne alone -- the Catalan coach still feels
the first-team needs almost a total renewal.
Indeed, Guardiola wants to bring in a goalkeeper, two
centre-backs, two full-backs, a central midfielder, a
quick winger and a back-up striker for Sergio Aguero.
Sources told ESPN FC that Guardiola already has
specific names for some of those positions in mind,
with Laporte and Stones, both 21, seen as ideal to
offer the type of ball-playing defence and focus on the
future the manager wants.
In goal, contact has already been made with
representatives of Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen,
who was forced to deny that he had already signed for
the club after revealing his unhappiness at sharing the
No. 1 slot with Claudio Bravio. And, although Guardiola
wants to bring in new full-backs too, he does not see
those positions as important as other areas.
City have reportedly struck a deal in principle with
Borussia Dortmund's Ilkay Gundogan for the midfield
position, despite his representatives denying the
claims. City will also offload Wilfried Bony up front, but
no decision has yet been made on an alternative back-
up striker to Aguero.
