Guardiola prioritises stunning £80m signing to scupper Arsenal in deal that’ll transform Man City attack
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, is getting ready to make a significant move for a highly-rated player worth £80 million, who is also being pursued by Arsenal for his exceptional abilities in his position.
Manchester City and Arsenal are currently competing for the top spot in the league this season, with Guardiola, an experienced and knowledgeable manager, currently behind his former assistant Mikel Arteta. In fact, Arsenal holds a five-point lead over City with only 12 games left to play this season.
Despite Arsenal currently leading the league table, Manchester City has a track record of winning four out of the last five Premier League titles, which suggests they are experts in clinching the championship. Hence, Arsenal cannot afford to make any mistakes.
Regardless of who wins the title, both teams are likely to qualify for the Champions League next season. Therefore, preparations for the upcoming summer transfer window will commence soon.
It is reported that Arsenal’s owner, Stan Kroenke, has given the green light for a significant investment in the summer transfer market, as Arteta is keen to reinforce his team’s attacking prowess.
In order to bolster their attack, Arsenal is reportedly considering several potential options. Lautaro Martinez, Nico Williams, and Victor Osimhen are among the players on their radar, but signing Osimhen could cost more than £100 million.
On the other hand, Rafael Leao, who plays in the Italian league, is a more reasonable target. The Portuguese player is highly regarded in Serie A and is considered one of the most sought-after players in the world. He has demonstrated his qualities by scoring eleven goals and providing eight assists in 31 appearances this season.
According to reports from Italy, Guardiola has instructed Manchester City’s executives to focus on signing Rafael Leao in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Calciomercato reports that the City boss considers Leao to be an excellent addition to his squad and admires his abilities. Guardiola believes that Leao can complement Erling Haaland and help revamp City’s attack.
Moreover, since Leao’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2024, Guardiola thinks that City can sign him for a relatively low fee.
Milan is eager to extend Leao’s contract as soon as possible since his current deal, which is worth £30,000 per week, is considered less than what a player of his caliber deserves.
Milan’s sporting director Frederic Massara and technical director Paolo Maldini are reportedly offering Leao a new contract worth £120,000 per week, but he has rejected their offer so far. Therefore, the possibility of a transfer to the Premier League is still a likely option for the Portuguese forward.
It is still unclear what Leao’s intentions are regarding his future, but if he decides to leave Milan, there will be several clubs interested in signing him. In addition to Manchester City and Arsenal, Real Madrid has also been mentioned as a potential suitor.
One thing that is certain is that Milan will not allow Leao to enter the final year of his contract, as they have been burned in the past by losing key players on free transfers.
Interestingly, if Leao decides to move to the Premier League, City may have an advantage over Arsenal as the player has previously expressed his dislike for life in London.
“I don’t like the weather there. I went shopping the first time I went to London,” he told A Bola.
Indeed, Manchester is not known for its tropical weather either. However, the opportunity to play for Guardiola and alongside Haaland could be a significant factor for Leao. Furthermore, the prospect of significantly increasing his salary may also be an enticing proposition for the Portuguese forward.
Guardiola prioritises stunning £80m signing to scupper Arsenal in deal that’ll transform Man City attack
