Manchester City are planning for another significant transfer window this summer and are keen to strengthen all over the pitch, giving incoming sporting director Hugo Viana a big job to do.
Viana, 42, will leave Sporting CP this summer to replace Txiki Begiristain at the Etihad and help Pep Guardiola add some more new faces to his squad. He has already started an agreed transition process following the close of the winter window.
City spent around £180m in January – the most of any club in the world – on Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Juma Bah, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Juma Bah.
As we reported on Tuesday, City will have plenty of financial wiggle room in the summer, with earnings from the Club World Cup and potential APT (Associated Party Transaction) rule changes to have a big impact.
There is a possibility City could sign another new striker despite bringing in Marmoush last month.
There has been no indication that they could re-sign Ipswich Town's Liam Delap, although they have a buy-back clause in his contract. Chelsea are currently frontrunners to sign the talented 22-year-old.
Sources state that City are also expected to sign a new midfielder even after adding Nico Gonzalez in January, with Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton on their shortlist.
Man City interested in Newcastle, Crystal Palace midfielders
City have had Guimaraes on their radar for some time. Whether he leaves will depend on if Newcastle sell either Anthony Gordon or Alexander Isak. If one of those two go, it's very unlikely Eddie Howe will allow another key player to leave. Newcastle would prefer to keep hold of all three.
However, it's understood Guimaraes has a verbal pact with Newcastle that he can leave for £85m this summer if the Magpies fail to qualify for the Champions League and a club in that competition comes calling.
Wharton, 21, is also a concrete target for City, but he's under contract with Palace until 2029, so the Eagles are in a strong position and expect at least three times the £22m package paid for him.
City's incoming sporting director Viana will want to make his mark this summer but needs time to assess targets, with Guimaraes and Wharton both shortlisted by Txiki.
Kevin de Bruyne could leave when his contract expires in June – even though a move to San Diego FC is not advanced at this stage – while there is also uncertainty surrounding Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan and even Bernardo Silva – hence why City are looking closely at midfield targets.
Man City could bring in a new goalkeeper and full-back
The Cityzens are also keen to sign a new left-back and Juventus' Andrea Cambiaso is one player they're expected to move for in the summer.
The 25-year-old was heavily linked with a move to the Etihad last month but sources downplayed the idea of a winter switch, but the feeling is they'll revisit it this summer.
Juventus could ask as much as €60m (£49.5m, $62.4m) for Cambiaso this summer, although City are keen to do a deal for around €10m less.
Goalkeeper is going to be another interesting one for City this summer. The Ederson and Stefan Ortega situation never really got resolved last summer. Saudi are still there for Ederson, so there's a chance he could move.
The expectation is that Ortega would become the new No. 1 if Ederson departs, but there is also a chance that City could look to bring in a new shot-stopper as well.
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