In what would be one of the most shocking moves of 2025, Manchester City have reportedly opened talks with the representatives of a Premier League title rival's player in an attempt to land a Raheem Sterling repeat.
Man City transfer news
For the first time since Pep Guardiola's debut campaign, Manchester City are in need of a host of reinforcements. From an ageing backline to similar issues in midfield, the Premier League champions must turn towards the transfer window in 2025 if they want to prevent their recent blip from becoming a gradual fade away from the title picture.
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The Premier League champions desperately need a defensive rebuild.
With that said, it's no surprise that the Citizens have been linked with Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes in recent weeks. The Brazilian midfielder would be an instant upgrade on Ilkay Gundogan, whose return included plenty of sentiment, but ultimately failed to make the positive impact that City had hoped.
The German, now 34 years old, is past his best and among the players that City will need to replace when they get the opportunity to do so. And Guimaraes isn't the only Premier League talent that they could turn to in terms of reinforcements.
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have opened shock talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold over a potential move to the Etihad Stadium when his current £180,000-a-week Liverpool contract expires in the summer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool -1
To say that the move would shock the Premier League would be an understatement. Alexander-Arnold would likely have a strained relationship with Liverpool fans if he decided to move to Real Madrid, but a move to Man City would end that relationship entirely.
He wouldn't be the first to swap Anfield for the Etihad, as a certain Raheem Sterling did the same in the summer of 2015, with City splashing out a reported £49m to sign the Liverpool winger, who went on to enjoy incredible success under Guardiola.
Despised by the Reds ever since, Sterling is a prime example of what Alexander-Arnold may have to prepare himself for if he completed such a move.
"Fantastic" Alexander-Arnold would reach new level under Guardiola
Throughout history, there are several examples of dream partnerships which the world of football never quite got to see play out on the pitch, with Steven Gerrard and Jurgen Klopp near the top of that list.
And by the end of his career, the world of football may well be left wondering just how Alexander-Arnold would have excelled under Guardiola unless he shocks the rest of English football this summer.
The England international is undoubtedly one of the best right-backs in Premier League history and we've already seen how the detail of Arne Slot's tactical approach has created a new version of the Liverpool star.
So there's no telling just how much Alexander-Arnold would evolve under the guidance of one of football's greatest minds in Guardiola.
Dubbed "fantastic" by former Liverpool manager Klopp last season, it feels unlikely that Alexander-Arnold would shatter Liverpool hearts to such a degree at this stage, but he certainly has a decision to make in the coming months.