Man City transfer news: Inter eye double deal for David Silva and Eliaquim Mangala

Man City transfer news: Lionel Messi to quit Barcelona

20 February

Has last week's thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain convinced Lionel Messi that the time is right to leave Barcelona?

According to the Sunday Mirror the Argentine hitman is edging closer to moving to the Etihad in what the paper claims will be a £100m deal. Apparently the Sky Blues have made Messi their priority signing this summer with Pep Guardiola desperate to bring the goal machine to Manchester to rekindle a working relationship that flourished when the Spaniard governed the Catalan giants.

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Of course, this isn't the first time that the South American sharpshooter has been linked to the Etihad but the Mirror believes that this time there is more credence to the rumours. In what it describes as a "double boost", the Mirror says that Messi's old man, Jorge, who also acts as his son's adviser, "has no plans to talk to the club about extending a contract" that expires at the end of next season.

It's looking increasingly likely that Messi won't be offered an increase on his current wages because Barcelona haven't the cash having already broken the bank in tying down Luis Suarez and Neymar.

Additionally, says the Mirror, the humiliation at the hands of PSG has "raised optimism in Manchester that Messi will seek a new challenge", while it's claimed in Spain that Barcelona appreciate the end of an era has arrived and a major overhaul is required in the summer.

Man City transfer news: Aguero set for Atletico Madrid swap

14 February

According to The Sun, "disgruntled striker" Sergio Aguero could be used by Manchester City to lure Atletico Madrid brothers Lucas and Theo Hernandez to the Etihad.

The paper says that City boss Pep Guardiola is keeping tabs on the two young Frenchmen with a view to a summer move. Apparently the Spaniard is "a huge admirer of the defensive duo", and has had his scouts watch them on several occasions this season in La Liga.

France Under-21 international Lucas is a centre-back who has made 17 appearances for Atletico while 19-year-old Theo is a left-back and is currently playing well on loan at Copa Del Rey finalists Alaves.

The Sun says that although the pair are contracted to Atletico for several more seasons, the Spanish side could "be tempted in a part-exchange deal" involving Aguero.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone is resigned to losing French marksman Antoine Griezmann to Manchester United in the summer and he would love to get his hands on the unsettled Argentine striker as his replacement. It's believed that if City are willing to release Aguero then the Hernandez boys will be despatched to Manchester.

Man City transfer news: 'World record bid' for Dele Alli

13 February

Manchester City are planning what the Sunday Express describes as a "world-record bid" for Spurs playmaker Dele Alli.

Apparently, City gaffer Pep Guardiola is determined to land the 20-year-old and believes the Sky Blues have the financial muscle to prise him from White Hart Lane. The Express claims that the England international is also a "target for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain" but is top of Guardiola's summer shopping list.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has said in the past that he will never sell Alli - who has just been named the Premier League Player of the Month for January - but the Express says his tune may change "if the bidding passes the £89m that Manchester United paid for Paul Pogba".

It's no secret that Guardiola is set to revamp his ageing squad at the end of the season and he sees Alli as a burgeoning talent and one that is homegrown, which will make it easier to bring in additional foreign players without incurring the wrath of FFP rules.

Talking of foreign players, the Sunday Mirror reports that City "are closing in" on Juventus striker Paulo Dybala despite interest from Real Madrid.

Apparently contact has been established between the 23-year-old Argentine's representatives and City, and Juventus are believed to be ready to offload the young frontman provided a "firm offer" is made by Guardiola.

Man City transfer news: 11 out as Pep plans £200m rebuild

10 February

Pep Guardiola is going to take an axe to his Manchester City squad in the summer with The Sun claiming that 11 first-team stars are set for the chop.

In their place, says the paper, the City gaffer will bring in a slew of new faces in a "£200m spending spree". The Spaniard has struggled to make his mark with the squad he inherited last summer - even although he spent £174m in the transfer market - and he's asked the City board to give him an even bigger war chest in the summer in order to rebuild the team in his own image.

The players who will be packing their bags at the end of this season are Jesus Navas, Joe Hart, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Aleksandar Kolarov, Nicolas Otamendi, Wilfried Bony, Eliaquim Mangala, Willy Caballero and Jason Denyer. There is also a question mark over the futures of gaffe-prone gloveman Claudio Bravo - described by the Sun as "a disaster" - and defender John Stones, who has rarely looked at ease in Guardiola's system.

As for possible new faces at the Etihad, the Sun says Guardiola is "looking at" a couple of full-backs in David Alaba and Juan Bernat, Tottenham left-back Danny Rose and Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, reportedly "City’s main target" who would set them back £65m.

Man City transfer news: Aguero set for Mancini reunion

9 February

Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is plotting a "shock" move for Sergio Aguero, reports Talksport, which says the soon-to-be AC Milan manager wants a reunion with the player he relied on so much during his time in charge of the Sky Blues.

Speculation is growing in Italy that Mancini will take advantage of Aguero's alleged unhappiness with his diminished status at the Etihad following the arrival of Gabriel Jesus to tempt him away from the Premier League.

And Talksport believes that Aguero "could be on his way out" of City as soon as this season is finished, "should somebody stump up the required £80m fee".

That somebody could be Mancini, who according to the Italian press is close to being appointed AC Milan's new boss, just a few months after he parted company with Inter. A Chinese consortium is ready to pump millions into the famous Serie A club in a bid to bring back the glory years and Mancini and Aguero will spearhead the revival, although the former City gaffer will have to beat off competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid for the hand of the Argentine marksman.

Another player heading out of the club in the summer will be Joe Hart, who has already cleared his locker at the Etihad and been sent to Italy for the season. According to The Sun he is now in the sights of Arsenal, as well as Liverpool and West Ham.

"Hart, 29, is currently on loan at Torino and City will look to offload him and his £130,000 per week wages," says the paper. Hart is popular in Italy but Torino cannot afford his wages long-term and a return to the Premier League is on the cards with City willing to accept a transfer fee of £15m.