City manager Pep Guardiola hasn’t given up hope of signing Real Madrid ace Isco, reports Sky Sports, with the attacking midfielder said to be top of the Spaniard’s summer wish list.
In recent months the 25-year-old has been linked to Juventus, Bayern Munich and PSG, but according to Spanish website Don Balon, Guardiola “thinks he can convince Isco” to move to Manchester.
The playmaker has looked sharp this season in La Liga, and Guardiola has always rated him highly, but it remains unclear what sort of price City would be expected to pay.
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There were reports in the summer that Real had slapped what the Daily Mail called “an astronomical £640m (€700m) release clause” on Isco in the hope of scaring off potential suitors, a claim neither confirmed nor denied by the European champions.
Meanwhile, talkSPORT claims that Serie A giants Inter Milan “will make a January approach” for Eliaquim Mangala.
The City defender, described by the broadcaster as “out of favour”, is desperate for regular game time in order to be considered for France’s World Cup squad, and apparently Inter are willing to fulfil his ambition.
The 26-year-old has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium and it is believed that Inter actually made a move for Mangala in the summer. Although they apparently failed on that occasion, the Italian outfit are still interested in the Gallic blocker. According to Tuttosport, the club will “make a formal approach to sign Mangala on a permanent basis” in the new year.
If City do agree a sale then might they use the cash to buy Joshua Kimmich? The Sun thinks so, claiming that the Sky Blues are “ready to rival Barcelona for the Bayern Munich star”.
German and Spanish media also claim the two clubs are eyeing up bids for the German defender. The Sun saying that Bayern would expect to receive in the region of £44m for the 22-year-old international.
