Manchester City are interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister this summer, according to a recent report.
THE LOWDOWN: MAN CITY EYEING A NEW MIDFIELDER
The Premier League champions are at risk of losing two central midfielders in the summer transfer window, with Barcelona eyeing both Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan, and the latter’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
As such, Pep Guardiola will most likely need a new option in the engine room, with City also being linked to the likes of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice.
THE LATEST: MAC ALLISTER TARGETED BY MAN CITY
According to the Daily Star, the Sky Blues are hot on the heels of Mac Allister, and a bidding war with the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal is expected this summer.
The midfielder is valued at £70m by Brighton, although he could end up costing far more, with Guardiola of the belief that the Argentine would be the perfect addition to his squad at the Etihad Stadium.
THE VERDICT: GET IT DONE?
Hailed as a ‘golden boy‘ by Brighton podcaster Ryan Adsett, the 24-year-old has impressed for both club and country this season, ranking as Argentina’s fourth-best performer en route to their World Cup triumph in Qatar two months ago as he averaged a 7.05 Sofascore rating.
Since returning to domestic action, the 5 foot 9 maestro is yet to rediscover his form from early on in the season, but he did manage to score twice in Brighton’s FA Cup triumph against Middlesbrough, with his tally for the campaign currently standing at seven goals in 21 games.
Given his performances for Argentina at the World Cup, it is evident that Mac Allister is a quality player. However, he is yet to prove he is worth more than £70m (his current Transfermarkt value is £37.2m), so Man City should continue to monitor his progression during the remainder of the season before committing to a big-money transfer.
Man City: Guardiola now ‘desperate to keep’ £140k-a-week ‘leader’ at the Etihad
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is eager to fend off interest in a key man and tie him down to a new contract, it has been claimed.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is ‘desperate to keep’ Ilkay Gundogan at the Etihad Stadium as doubts mount over his long-term future, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport.
The Germany international has been on the Citizens’ books since completing a £21million switch from Borussia Dortmund more than six-and-a-half years ago.
Man City transfer news – Ilkay Gundogan
According to the Mirror, Manchester City are currently reluctant to bow to Gundogan’s demands of a two-year contract extension.
The report suggests the uncertainty over the central midfielder’s long-term future has led to Spanish and German clubs monitoring his situation.
Gundogan entered the final six months of his £140,000-per-week deal at the turn of the year, meaning he is already able to pen a pre-contract agreement with an overseas suitor.
But the 32-year-old is unlikely to be limited to options abroad as fellow Premier League title chasers Arsenal have also shown an interest in the past.
The north Londoners raided Manchester City last summer, when they signed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko in deals worth £45million and £32million respectively, but they could set their sights on landing Gundogan in the coming months.
What has Pete O’Rourke said about Gundogan?
O’Rourke is certain that Guardiola is eager for Manchester City to reach an internal agreement with Gundogan before his contract expires.
The journalist believes the reigning Premier League champions’ captain, who has won 11 trophies with the club, is a major influence on the pitch and in the dressing room, so replacing him would be a tough task.
When asked about Guardiola’s stance on Gundogan, O’Rourke told GiveMeSport: “I’m sure he will be desperate to keep him.
“Gundogan has been such a good servant to Manchester City and he was instrumental in their title success last season when he stepped up to turn that game around against Aston Villa.
“He’s a leader in the dressing room and is the captain as well, so you don’t want to be losing those type of figures not just on the pitch, but also off the pitch.”
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Should Man City meet Gundogan’s contract demands?
There is no doubt that Gundogan has been a huge success since arriving at Manchester City, with Transfermarkt statistics highlighting he has notched 89 goal contributions in 286 appearances.
Guardiola has previously described the former Nuremberg man as ‘incredible’ and, with figures like that, it is easy to see why.
Sofascore data shows Gundogan has averaged 1.8 shots and one tackle per Premier League outing this season, while he also boasts 87 per cent pass accuracy and has created five big chances.
With that being the case, it is abundantly clear that the German, who has made 33 appearances since the campaign got underway, plays a key role at both ends of the pitch with his box-to-box displays.
Manchester City should make handing a new contract to Gundogan, who grabbed an assist on his way to being handed a 6.9 match rating by WhoScored for his performance in the Champions League stalemate with RB Leipzig on Wednesday, a priority.
Source: footballtransfertavern.com; givemesport.com
