Man City boss Pep Guardiola wants the club’s hierarchy to splash out on Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes this summer, according to reports.
The Citizens won their fourth consecutive Premier League title last weekend and they still have a chance of completing a Double on Saturday as they face arch-rivals Man Utd in the FA Cup final.
Man City won a brilliant Treble last season under Guardiola with most people still regarding the Citizens as the best side in world football despite their unfortunate exit from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
But with the addition of Jude Bellingham last summer and the imminent arrival of Kylian Mbappe this summer, Real Madrid will be pushing Man City all the way again next term.
And reports in Spain insists that Guardiola is pushing Man City to make a statement signing to show Real Madrid that they are still the top dogs in world football.
Guardiola has ‘asked’ the Man City hierarchy to spend €100m (£85m) on Newcastle midfielder Guimaraes and ‘the arrival of Mbappé at the Santiago Bernabeu has speeded up the procedures’.
The Man City boss reckons the signing of the France international at Real Madrid ‘can mark the beginning of a white hegemony in Europe and they [Man City] plan the signing’ of Guimaraes ‘as a move to stop Carlo Ancelotti ‘s team and overshadow the arrival of Mbappé’.
Former CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs has also confirmed interest from Man City in the Newcastle midfielder, while Arsenal will consider a move if the Magpies’ asking price comes down.
Jacobs wrote on X: “Manchester City are still exploring a move for Bruno Guimarães having made contact with the player’s camp. Guimarães has a £100m release clause valid only until the final week in June, as @FabrizioRomano called.
“Arsenal have no plans to trigger the clause. They will only consider a move if the price drops. Martin Zubimendi remains a more concrete possibility. Guimarães has given every indication he’s happy at #NUFC, but an exit can’t be discounted due to the clause.
“PSG are out the race for Guimarães. They still want Bernardo Silva. Gavi is appreciated, too, but is viewed as near-impossible to get. Barcelona view him as a future captain and don’t plan to engage with any suitors. PSG want a striker, wide attacker, central-midfielder and centre-back in what is expected to be a busy window.”