Guardiola eyes triple swoop for midfield refresh | OneFootball

Man City Prepare £190m Midfield Overhaul With Wirtz Priority

Midfield shake-up in motion at Etihad

Manchester City are preparing to launch a decisive rebuild of their midfield this summer, with club sources indicating plans to invest close to £190 million on three priority targets. With Kevin De Bruyne departing as a free agent and long-standing doubts over Ilkay Gundogan’s future despite his recent contract extension, the champions are looking to future-proof the core of Pep Guardiola’s team.

The club remain firmly on course to secure Champions League football and have the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace ahead. But changes behind the scenes are already in motion, as City plot their evolution in midfield.

Florian Wirtz tops City’s wish list

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is the standout name under consideration. City have tracked the 21-year-old since last October and are believed to have stepped up their interest in recent weeks. The club held direct talks with Wirtz’s representatives on Monday, signalling their intent.

Valued at around €100m (£84m), Wirtz is seen by key decision-makers at the Etihad as the natural heir to De Bruyne’s creative throne. “His elite playmaking abilities and consistent goal contributions make him the perfect successor for De Bruyne,” TEAMtalk have previously reported.

However, competition is fierce. Bayern Munich are understood to have tabled an impressive contract proposal, while Real Madrid could soon intensify their efforts — particularly if Xabi Alonso makes the anticipated move to the Spanish capital and looks to take Wirtz with him.

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Morgan Gibbs-White gaining ground

City’s interest extends beyond Wirtz. Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White is another high-profile name on Guardiola’s radar. Valued at around £45m, the 25-year-old has impressed City scouts with his creativity, aggressive pressing, and adaptability across midfield roles.

“He’s got that mix of bite and invention that City value,” noted one insider. Gibbs-White is capable of playing both as a No.10 and in a deeper box-to-box role, traits that align with the positional fluidity City demand.

Sources close to the situation suggest Forest would be open to talks if City come forward with a formal offer. There is a belief internally that the player himself would be open to the move, having caught Guardiola’s eye multiple times this season.

Tijjani Reijnders emerges as Rodri’s partner

The third target identified is AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutch international has quietly become one of the standout midfielders in Serie A and is valued at approximately £57m.

City’s interest was first flagged back in December, and talks with Milan are understood to have taken place in recent days. Guardiola sees Reijnders as an ideal foil for Rodri — combining technical security with an ability to carry the ball through the middle third.

With 12 goals and seven assists this season, the Dutchman offers end product as well as defensive intelligence. His tendency to break lines with forward runs also dovetails with the dynamic profiles of Jeremy Doku and Omar Marmoush.

Transfer funding and squad planning

Sources say City’s planned investment will be balanced carefully against Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), with several homegrown talents likely to be sold to offset spending. James McAtee is one such name being considered for departure.

The strategy is clear: City want their incoming business completed early, giving Guardiola a settled squad ahead of the Club World Cup. Whether they can outmanoeuvre Bayern and Madrid for Wirtz remains uncertain, but what’s not in doubt is their intent to reassert dominance — starting with the midfield.