Revealed: Manchester City’s four-man Premier League midfielder transfer shortlist | OneFootball

Manchester City have four Premier League operators on their midfield transfer shortlist ahead of the 2026 summer window, according to new reports.

Hugo Viana and the recruitment team operating around Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad are widely expected to be busy once more during the upcoming summer market, despite their big-money business over the course of the last 12 months.

January 2025 brought about emergency business to react to a run of poor results during the winter months of that campaign, with the likes of Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico Gonzalez, and Omar Marmoush brought in to strengthen all areas of the pitch.

The following summer would then bring about a further bolstering of roles, as Gianluigi Donnarumma replaced Ederson as the new No.1 goalkeeper, Rayan Ait-Nouri into defence, Tijjani Reijnders into midfield, and Rayan Cherki into the creative roles.

And the January market of the ongoing campaign would then see Manchester City bully out competition from within the Premier League to the double signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth and Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.

Who is Man City’s leading target for the central midfield role?

But with contractual situations coming into play this summer and ageing players under review within decision-making positions, there is expected to be further business completed, particularly in the central midfield ranks.

According to Sky Sports News, Manchester City are ‘very keen’ on Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, while it is stressed that there would need to be ‘some movement’ in the club’s existing midfield roster before committing to a significant financial outlay in the role.

Whilst Bernardo Silva is out of contract and is widely expected to bring an end to his stellar career at City, the report insists that Anderson would not be seen as his replacement, meaning the futures of Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez may come into question.

As for the position of Elliot Anderson himself, the 23-year-old is said to be in no rush to sort his future out before England’s FIFA World Cup campaign, while there has also been no conversations yet with any intermediaries of other clubs.

Who else do Man City have eyes on in the Premier League?

Elsewhere, it is stated that Manchester City officials also have Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali ‘high on their lists of possible midfielder targets’ for the upcoming summer, while Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton also features.

On the South Coast, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is the fourth name from within the Premier League’s midfield roster to feature on Manchester City’s list.

Undoubtedly, given the quality of player discussed and the urgent need for midfield recruitment among several of the Premier League’s top teams, Manchester City are highly unlikely to have a free-run at any of the names mentioned.

It also remains to be seen how the reported uncertainty surrounding Pep Guardiola’s future affects the club’s ability to secure their leading targets, although many would point towards the signing of Guehi and Semenyo as proof that the club’s project remains convincing regardless of the Catalan’s direction of travel.