Having been crowned Premier League champions last month, Manchester City are already making moves in the transfer market.
Pep Guardiola is eyeing up his second back-to-back English title triumph and wants one of the top-flight’s finest in his ranks for the run.
Harry Kane has reportedly told Tottenham Hotspur that he wants to leave the club this summer after Spurs missed out on Champions League football and went trophyless once again.
That was in spite of Kane directly contributing to 50 goals over the course of the season, solidifying his status as one of Europe’s top marksmen.
City aren’t the only side interested in the 27-year-old, though, so Guardiola and co will need other options as the former Barcelona boss looks to go again domestically and, on top, win an allusive third Champions League winners medal.
Here, Mirror Football rounds up the Citizens’ latest transfer news.
Take it or Levy it for Kane
After being linked with a big-money move for England teammate Jack Grealish, City are reportedly set to launch a £100million ‘take it or leave it’ bid for Kane.
The Daily Star claim that the offer will be submitted to Daniel Levy and co upon the conclusion of Euro 2020 and the Etihad outfit are keen to avoid their chase dragging over the summer.
However, Levy is said to value the Three Lions skipper at an eye-watering £150million, so is likely to rebuff the bid.
The Lilywhites chairman recently took a stance by saying: “There is a market out there. What we want, and what other clubs want, is not always possible to achieve. We will do whatever is right for the club.”
(Image: Pool via REUTERS)
The Star’s report states that City are unwilling to go any higher for the striker, who has struggled with persistent ankle injuries in recent years.
Kane has blanked so far at the European Championships, struggling to make an impact in either of England’s matches.
Sergio Aguero’s departure from East Manchester has left a goalscoring void and Gabriel Jesus is seemingly not trusted by his manager on the big occasion.
The rest of Premier League will be hoping this one goes no further than the bid.
Ramos ruled out
(Image: as he said his farewells at a press conference on Thursday)
A report in Spain claims that the Citizens are ‘not considering’ signing free agent Sergio Ramos this summer.
AS via Sport Witness say the soon-to-be ex-Real Madrid captain isn’t on the club’s radar.
Ramos bid farewell to the Santiago Bernabeu in an emotional press conference on Thursday, telling reporters: “I’ll always keep Real Madrid in my heart.
“A marvellous stage in my life is over but a new exciting future awaits and I am looking forward to showing my level and winning some more trophies.”
The Los Blancos legend spent 16 seasons in Madrid, playing 671 games and scoring 101 goals as he lifted five La Liga and four Champions Leagues titles.
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Although his entourage reportedly ‘offered’ Ramos to City chiefs a few weeks ago, the club aren’t interested.
Local rivals Manchester United are set to fight favourites Paris Saint-Germain for his signature, but the Spaniard is said to be demanding an annual salary of £10million.
A move to the United States and Major League Soccer is also on the cards.
Barca facing battle for duo
The reason why Ramos may not be of interest could be due to the fact Guardiola wants to keep Aymeric Laporte at the club, along with Bernardo Silva.
The pair spent plenty of time on the bench this past term and Barcelona are said to be interested in the duo, reportedly ready to offer a number of players in order to acquire either Silva or Laporte.
However, City aren’t willing to negotiate swap deals including the two stars as they’re not interested in anyone that the Blaugrana would be willing to hand over as part of the deal.
Marca report that ‘Samuel Umtiti, Junior Firpo, Miralem Pjanic, Ousmane Dembele, Martin Braithwaite or even Sergi Roberto and Clement Lenglet’ could be makeweights, none of whom take the Citizens’ fancy.
With both City players’ contracts not expiring until 2025, it’d take a significant amount of cash to get them out of the Etihad.
