Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are keeping a watchful eye on a “world-class” player ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a recent report.
Man City eye De Bruyne replacements as Pep plans for new era
Kevin de Bruyne has struggled to make the impact he usually makes in the Premier League this season, and therefore, it is no surprise to see him looking at a possible move away by the time the summer arrives. Despite receiving offers from Saudi Arabia last summer, it could be a move to the MLS for the Belgium international, as San Diego have held talks with De Bruyne’s agent.
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne in action with Liverpool's Andrew Robertson
And as De Bruyne weighs up his future, Man City are looking at the market for potential replacements, as the Blues have set their sights on Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig. Not only are City looking at the Dutchman, but according to a report from Spain, they have even made a £92.5 million offer to sign Simons.
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[Man City submit £90m+ bid to sign "exceptional" star to replace De Bruyne](https://www.footballfancast.com/man-city-submit-bid-to-sign-xavi-simons-to-replace-de-bruyne/ "Man City submit £90m+ bid to sign "exceptional" star to replace De Bruyne")
Kevin De Bruyne looks set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season.
That is because Guardiola is keen for City to sign Simons no matter what, as he is seen as a player who can become a key part of his project. Leipzig are yet to respond to the offer made, and it is unclear how they will react, as Simons is and has been a key player for them since he joined the club from Paris Saint-Germain.
Man City tracking "world-class" keeper who could cost £40m
As well as looking for a replacement for De Bruyne, the Blues are also in the market for a new goalkeeper, as Ederson could soon be on the move. According to The Sun, Man City are interested in signing Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier as the Brazilian’s replacement.
Lille's Lucas Chevalier reacts
The report states that Ederson looks set to leave the Etihad at the end of the season and move to Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Guardiola has started checks on signing a replacement, and Chevalier is someone they have kept an eye on in the last few months, although they face strong competition from rivals Manchester United.
Chevalier’s ability with the ball and his distribution have marked him out as the perfect Pep keeper. The 23-year-old, who has been dubbed “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe”, has been at Lille since 2014 and broke into the first team as a teenager. He became the French side’s regular number one in the 2022/23 season, keeping 10 clean sheets in 32 league games, and has continued in that role since.
Chevalier played 10 times in the Champions League this season and impressed in their recent game against Borussia Dortmund, where media outlets stated he made three “world-class” point-blank saves to stop Dortmund. Chevalier is under contract at Lille until the summer of 2027, but the former French champions are open to doing business as long as they receive a £40 million fee, just £5m more than the number sent to Benfica for Ederson all those years ago.