Man City transfer news: Four depart in Deadline Day cull

Man City transfer news: war with Man United over Neymar

10 February

A transfer war is brewing in Manchester this summer, as The Sun warns that City and United will confront each other "with all guns blazing" for the right to sign Neymar from Barcelona.

Apparently, the Brazilian ace is the "number one target" of new Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, while United's interest has been known for a long time.

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Last week, the player's father revealed that the Red Devils had tabled a £144m bid for his son over the summer. According to the paper, Neymar senior did that in order to send "a clear message to potential suitors that the Brazilian star is open to a move away from the Catalan giants".

The logic might be flawed - after all, United's mammoth bid failed to lure Neymar away from Barcelona - but The Sun claims both clubs will seek to lure him to Manchester by selling him their vision of how they will turn him into a multi-million-pound brand.

Regardless of whether it means upsetting the likes of Sergio Aguero or Wayne Rooney, City and United will promise the South American he will be their "poster boy". The paper goes on to say it's "the transfer battle that could shape English football for the foreseeable future".

But, after insisting Neymar is the player their new manager wants, the Sun also declares City are "planning a sensational bid to make Dimitri Payet the first signing of the Pep Guardiola era".

The paper says they would be willing to pay as much as £30m to land the West Ham playmaker, who has also attracted interest from Arsenal.

Man City transfer news: PSG join hunt for Sergio Busquets

09 February

Paris Saint-Germain are gearing up to challenge Man City for the hand of World Cup winner Sergio Busquets. That's the claim made by Talksport, which reports that the runaway leaders of the French Ligue 1 are "lining up a big-money summer move" for 27-year-old Busquets.

It's no secret that incoming City manager Pep Guardiola hopes to make the playmaker one of his first acquisitions, but according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo, he has a fight on his hands because PSG want to make Busquets their marquee summer signing.

It's said the French club are prepared to turn the Spaniard into the one of the "most expensive players in football history by offering £77.2m to land him". It was thanks to Guardiola that Busquets broke into the Barca side in 2008 and the manager is hoping that connection will be enough to convince the defensive midfielder to join him at the Etihad.

City will also have to fight hard if they want to land Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud. Picking up on a story in German rag Bild, the Daily Star says the Sky Blues and Manchester United are both chasing the 20-year-old, who has been a standout performer in the Germany under-19 squad. Juventus are also eyeing up the player and it's believed Monchengladbach are prepared to sell to the highest bidder in the summer.

Man City transfer news: Pep Guardiola sets sights on Luis Suarez

08 February

As Leicester's victory at the Etihad on Saturday proved, Manchester City need to bring in a marksman pronto and The Sun claims manager-elect Pep Guardiola has his eyes on Luis Suarez. Apparently, he is champing at the bit to sign the Chilean sharpshooter "once he takes charge at Manchester City".

As the Sun points out, Guardiola's brother, Pere, is Suarez's agent and the paper claims the Citizens "have been told a deal is possible". It will cost them a cool £40m to prise the former Liverpool striker from the Camp Nou, but the Daily Mirror, which also carries the story, says Guardiola "will be given a blank cheque" by City's owners to build a team able to beat the likes of Leicester next season. The question remains whether Suarez would agree to join City, having recently declared: "If I was to return to England, it would be to play for Liverpool — not for any other team. I've missed the fans. The atmosphere is incredible."

But the Daily Mail claims that if anyone will leave Barcelona for City in the summer, it's likely to be Sergio Busquets and Neymar. The paper says Guardiola is "eager" to land the pair and Barca are even "bracing themselves for a £150million double offer". Manchester United have been heavily linked with Neymar in recent days but apparently, Guardiola is quietly confident his good relationship with the Brazilian – the Mail says he "was the first figure at Barcelona to spot Neymar's potential" - could prove decisive in swaying Neymar's decision.

Man City transfer news: £100m for Pogba as Real Madrid wait

05 February

Manchester City might want to consider asking Fifa not to lift Real Madrid's transfer ban this summer because the Spanish giants have a shopping list that looks very similar to Pep Guardiola's.

City's incoming manager has already decided his marquee signing this summer should be former Manchester United trainee Paul Pogba, now of Juventus.

The 22-year-old player "will almost certainly be available for the right price", says The Independent, and Guardiola has already sounded out his new employers about the possibility of getting the Frenchman on board, even if the Italian club demand £80m.

However, reports in Italy suggest City may have to up the ante to something closer to £100m. According to website Gazzetta World, "Real Madrid are readying to pull out all the stops to lure the talented midfielder to the Spanish capital" and that could spark a bidding war sending the price into uncharted territory.

Madrid have another City target, Robert Lewandowski, in their sights, too, adds the website.

However, the Spanish side is currently appealing a Fifa transfer ban imposed for breaching the rules over the transfer of minors. The embargo has been suspended for the time being, but it is unclear whether Madrid will be able to sign players once the transfer window opens, says Goal.com.

Man City transfer news: Hart out if Guardiola lands Bravo

03 February

Forty eight hours after the announcement that Pep Guardiola is replacing Manuel Pellegrini at the helm next season and the nation's press is as excited as the City faithful.

According to The Sun Guardiola is "set to conduct a mega-money Galactico revolution at the Etihad". Rumours are already rife that the Bayern Munich boss has been busy drawing up a wishlist that includes Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Aaron Ramsey, and now the Sun adds another name - Claudio Bravo.

Taking as its source Spanish daily AS, the Sun claims that the Chilean stopper Bravo could be open to a move because of the competition he faces at the Camp Nou from German international Marc-Andre ter Stegen. In addition, it's reported that Guardiola could entice Bravo to the Sky Blues with a promise he'll be his number one.

That has put Joe Hart's "future in danger" with the England keeper unlikely to take kindly to losing his place in the starting XI. If Guardiola is serious about prising Bravo from Barcelona, the Sun says he "has a release clause of £30.5m, which City will be more than capable of meeting."

Meanwhile Sky Sports carries comments made by Dimitri Seluk, agent of Yaya Toure, which suggest the midfielder will leave City in the summer when Guardiola arrives. The pair know each other from their time at Barcelona from 2008 to 2010, and perhaps that is why Seluk is quoted saying: "I think Yaya will leave the club... it's not a question of whether Pep likes him or not. It's life, you know."

Toure's touted departure may also have something to do with "a stunning £30m-a-year contract" offer he's received from the Far East.

According to the Daily Telegraph, at least three Chinese clubs are chasing Toure with Jiangsu Suning "discussing the prospect of paying the player £30m-a-year after tax". If true, that would net the playmaker £576,923-a-week, double his current miserly City salary of £240,000-a-week.

Man City transfer news: Lewandowski tops Guardiola wishlist

02 February

Deadline Day may have been as exciting as a Roy Hodgson press conference but this summer is set to be the mother of all spending sprees with the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea all expected to welcome new managers.

City already know who their new gaffer will be and according to The Sun one of Pep Guardiola's first moves will be to make a bid for Robert Lewandowski. The paper says that the Citizens "are ready for a £75m fight with Real Madrid" over the Polish frontman, currently playing under Guardiola at Bayern Munich.

Of course, much depends on whether Madrid are able to get a Fifa transfer ban, imposed last month and which is supposed to start this month, overturned on appeal. If not City should have a clear run on the marksman.

But The Sun adds that if City have a pretty ambitious Plan B, and says that if they fail in their attempt to lure Lewandowski to the Etihad, then they will "intensify their pursuit" of Lionel Messi.

Guardiola, who coached the Barcelona megastar during his spell in charge at the Camp Nou, will try his utmost to persuade Messi to move, and it's also reported that he will pursue Juventus playmaker Paul Pogba and Bayern's £35m-rated left-back David Alaba this summer.