Man City transfer news: Four depart in Deadline Day cull

Man City transfer news: £40m for Sane, but no Aubemayang

14 June

The Sky Blues have "cooled their interest" in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, reports the Manchester Evening News just 24 hours after rumours linked City a £65m bid for the Borussia Dortmund striker.

The weekend papers were full of stories suggesting the German club had slapped the eye-popping price tag on the 26-year-old Gabon goal machine, and if it was meant to ward off the Citizens' interest it appears to have worked for the MEN says that they "are not prepared to stump up that kind of money".

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That's not to say they have binned the idea of landing Aubameyang but Dortmund will have to lower their asking price if a deal is to go through. If they don't, however, the MEN says that Pep Guardiola has a few other options up his sleeve, one of whom is Juventus frontman Alvaro Morata, and the other is Celta Vigo ace Nolito, who is known to be on Barcelona's radar.

The MEN says that Spanish media sources in France to cover Spain's victory over the Czech Republic on Monday declared that "City are a step away from signing" the 29-year-old Nolito

Meanwhile The Sun claims that City are on the verge of clinching a £40m deal for Schalke frontman Leroy Sane. The 20-year-old Germany international, currently in France at the Euros, has been scouted by Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United in recent months but the Sun says that Guardiola has beaten them all to his signature.

Man City transfer news: Real Madrid battle for Aubameyang

8 June

Gabon goal-machine Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on the brink of signing for Manchester City with the club "ready to pay £50m" for one of Europe's most sought-after strikers.

The Daily Mirror reports that Pep Guardiola is determined to beat his old foes at Real Madrid to the hand of the Borussia Dortmund frontman, who scored 39 goals in 46 appearances last season. The Spanish giants allegedly tabled a £40m bid for the 26-year-old Aubameyang earlier in the month, and that's prompted Guardiola to put together a package £10m superior to that of Madrid's.

The Mirror claims that City "have already sounded out the player’s representatives" over a move to the Etihad and the fact the club recently signed German international midfielder Ilkay Gundogan from Dortmund gives them an edge in the tug-of-war transfer tussle.

In confirming the story, The Guardian says that City will probably have to be pay "in the region of £55m" for Aubameyang with Dortmund determined to get as much as they can for a player who still has four years left on the contract he extended last year.

Man City transfer news: Zinchenko swoop as Swansea eye Bony

07 June

Has Pep Guardiola made his second signing of the summer? The Sun believes so with the paper reporting that City's new manager is closing in on 19-year-old Ukraine midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Having already bagged and tagged Ilkay Gundogan in a £21m move from Borussia Dortmund, Guardiola has had Zinchenko on his shopping list for a while. His interest increased at the end of last month when the frontman became the youngest player to score for the Ukraine when he found the net in a 4-3 win over Romania.

Meanwhile the South Wales Echo claims that City striker Wilfried Bony is at "the centre of a tug-o-war between Swansea City and Besiktas". The Ivory Coast ace scored 35 goals in 54 appearances during a two-year stint at the Liberty Stadium but as the Echo explains, on moving to the Etihad in January 2015 his "form and playing time have taken a massive hit".

Apparently City are ready to move Bony on and while the Swans - freshly minted thanks to new investors from America - are interested in bringing him back to Wales, Turkish outfit Besiktas are eyeing up a swoop and are ready to meet the Citizen's asking price of £25m.

Man City transfer news: Gundogan signs, Aymeric Laporte next

03 June

Having confirmed the signing of Ilkay Gundogan this week Manchester City are now working on a deal to bring defender Aymeric Laporte to the Etihad.

New manager Pep Guardiola is not resting on his laurels and The Sun claims that City are now "ready to pay £39m" to secure the services of Laporte, but only if they have to.

The Athletic Bilbao centre-back has been on the Citizens' radar for a while and Guardiola has stepped that interest in recent days, highlighting the France under-21 international as one of his priority buys. The Sun says that Bilbao "have refused to accept anything less" than his £39m release clause but City remain hopeful that they haggle the Spanish side down to around the £30m mark.

Meanwhile City have welcomed Ilkay Gundogan, their first signing of the Guardiola era, to the club.

Described by the official City website as "a creative, technically proficient midfielder", the 25-year old is currently recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him from the European Championships. Nonetheless City's Director of Football Txiki Begiristain believes he will be "an excellent addition to our team... our supporters will enjoy his work ethic and technical ability".

Gundogan, who made over 150 appearances for Dortmund in the past five seasons, said he was "thrilled" at the move and was excited about teaming up with City's new coach. "I have a new challenge and that is to achieve great things with City," he explained. "The opportunity to work with a coach like Pep Guardiola is something I am really looking forward to and I am flattered to be the first signing the club has made this summer. I can promise the City fans I will give everything to help us win titles both in England and the Champions League. These are exciting times."

According to the Independent, City paid Dortmund £20m for Gundogan.

Man City transfer news: Ilkay Gundogan 'signs for £21m'

02 June

Pep Guardiola is set to announce his first signing as Manchester City manager. According to the Daily Mail Ilkay Gundogan has "tied up a £21m move from Borussia Dortmund" with negotiations concluded on Wednesday night.

The Germany midfielder has been linked with a move to the Etihad for several weeks and the Mail says that he has penned a four-year deal and City will break the news today. The 25-year-old Gundogan is currently recovering from surgery for a dislocated kneecap but Guardiola has been after the playmaker for a while after being impressed by his performances in the Bundesliga and is unconcerned about his current condition.

Another player who has always impressed the new City boss is Thiago Alcantara but the Mail says that Guardiola "will not be returning to his old club Bayern Munich to bid for the Spain midfielder".

But Guardiola might make a move for PSG defender Marquinhos, according to the Manchester Evening News, with the paper claiming that central defence is the one area above all others that he believes needs strengthening over the summer. Martin Demichelis, Eliaquim Mangala, Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi are all considered too old or too injury prone to be relied on, hence the interest in Marquinhos.

According to the MEN City will have to battle Barcelona for the Brazilian defender, who is allegedly ready to move on because of the presence at PSG of David Luiz and Thiago Silva.

Man City transfer news: Gundogan done deal, United want Stones

25 May

With all the attention riveted on Manchester United right now, their neighbours are going about their transfer business with calm efficiency, and according to Talksport the Sky Blues are "edging closer to completing the signing" of Ilkay Gundogan from Borussia Dortmund.

The German midfielder, currently recovering from a knee injury, is high up on Pep Guardiola's summer shopping list despite rumours that the 25-year-old won't be fully fit until November.

Talksport, citing German tabloid Bild as its source, says that City and Dortmund are in "the final stages of agreeing a fee" of around £19.3m.

Personal terms have been agreed and a deal could be announced by the end of this week after the German outfit finally accepted that Gundogan has "his heart set on a switch to the Etihad" and the chance to work under Pep Guardiola next season.

But if City are still intent on signing Everton defender John Stones it seems they'll have to "scrap" with Manchester United. According to the Daily Mail the neighbours both rate the Everton defender highly and a bidding war will break out this summer with Guardiola and Jose Mourinho going head to head for the first time as managers in Manchester.

Both are said to be willing to pay whatever it takes to secure his signature, which could be good news for Everton.

Man City transfer news: Everton in shock move for Joe Hart

24 May

All the talk in recent weeks has been about who Pep Guardiola will sign when he takes over as Citizens manager, but what about the Sky Blues who might decide it's time for a change?

The Sun claims, somewhat implausibly, that Joe Hart could be tempted to leave the Etihad and head for Everton in exchange for a whopping £200,000-a-week.

Apparently Everton's ambitious and wealthy new owner, Farhad Moshiri, is primed to make "an astonishing attempt" to buy Hart as he seeks to turn around the fortunes of the struggling Merseyside club. The Sun says Moshiri "plans a couple of major captures", but the England keeper is his priority signing this summer.

With Tim Howard now history at Everton, and Joel Robles lacking consistent quality, the Toffees need a new gloveman and Hart is the man in their sights.

Would he be missed at the Etihad? In recent weeks rumours have linked Guardiola with a move for Barcelona's German keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen with the Spanish gaffer reportedly after "a keeper who is better with the ball at his feet".

The incoming manager could also make a shock move for Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal. The Chilean impressed Guardiola in Germany and now the Daily Star suggests there could be a scramble for his signature, with several Premier League clubs eager to land him.

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