Guardiola will be out with a key player for at least a couple of weeksplaceholder image
Guardiola will be out with a key player for at least a couple of weeks | Getty Images
Man City still aren’t sure if Pep Guardiola is going to be manager next season, but this hasn’t stopped any recruitment plans.
Man City showed against Liverpool that they are not going anywhere and that their transition period hasn’t been a lengthy one.
Pep Guardiola started a new cycle last season and, even if he leaves the Etihad, he will be handing over to the next manager with a squad that is in good health. This hasn’t stopped transfer speculation for the summer starting already though with news of a potential Premier League swoop. City had struggled for goals from the forward line earlier on in the season, but now seem to have found their attacking feet.
Man City eye Premier League transfer
This hasn’t stopped Fichajes from suggesting that one of the league’s most influential players is on Guardiola’s shopping list after catching the Spaniard’s eye with a string of impressive performances this season.
The name has come from left-field with the report suggesting that Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is on City’s radar. The Toffees are reluctant to sell having seen the £28m summer signing steal the limelight from City loanee Jack Grealish but are well aware that every player has their price and that any profit could come in handy to strengthen their own squad.
Fichajes claims that Everton “assume Manchester City's interest is genuine”. The midfielder's stock is on the rise and that Dewsbury-Hall's profile is perfect for the subtle shifts in the modern game being capable of both defending and attacking “intelligently”. Reports close to the player suggest that the 27-year old is open to a potential move up the table in what would probably be his last chance to prove that he can deliver at the highest level. The England youth cap believes that his form has never been better and “isn't ruling out joining a top-tier European club”.
How much would City have to pay for Dewsbury-Hall
Everton paid £28m to sign Dewsbury-Hall in the summer as part of a huge squad overhaul and, given his important to David Moyes and what he brings to their team, they won’t want to let him go cheaply. Playing as both a no.10 and no.8, Dewsbury-Hall has been a key part of Moyes’ success this season despite having one of the smallest squads in the league and having to battle an injury list all through the season.
The figure being discussed, according to the report, is around €40 million (£34.8m), an amount that is more than affordable for City, especially for a home-grown player. Should this fee rise to the £40m mark, Fichajes claims that Everton would be more inclined to accept and take the opportunity to reinvest the money. It would almost cover the cost of paying Grealish’s option to buy clause.
Whether Dewsbury-Hall would sacrifice being worshipped and being a guaranteed starter to having to fight for a place on the bench is another story, but Champions League football and competing for trophies is a strong pull, especially when neither are likely to be on the cards at his current club.
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