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After surrendering the Premier League title to Liverpool last season, Manchester City will be looking to bounce back with a series of high-profile additions in the transfer market.
Pep Guardiola's side have already signed Ferran Torres and Nathan Ake this summer, while Leroy Sane finally completed his long-anticipated move to Bayern Munich. With the 2020-21 Premier League season all set to kick off next month, here are the most popular transfer stories concerning the Cityzens in the back pages.
Manchester City chairman sheds light on transfer plans
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak spoke in detail about the club's transfer plans for the current transfer window.
Manchester City endured their worst ever league season under Pep Guardiola and surrendered the league title to Liverpool, as Jurgen Klopp's side got their hands on the Premier League title for the first time in over 30 years.
Speaking to Manchester Evening News, Khaldoon conceded that the Cityzens would do everything within their power to strengthen the squad despite the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
"My position is clear — we don’t take a one-year view, we take a three-, five-, ten-year view and when we look at what changes or improvements we have to make for this squad, we’re going to make them."
“We’re going to make them and we’ll be sensible and pragmatic about it but we will do what it takes."
The Manchester City chairman also confirmed that more new additions would likely follow Ferran Torres and Nathan Ake, who joined the club earlier this summer.
“There are additional players we will be bringing in and we will stick to the plan obviously within the realities of the market that we live in today.”
“Sometimes opportunities come up that fit with what the manager wants and with what we need for the squad that might be out of that box and if that’s the case, we’re pragmatic enough to make that move. So nothing is set in stone."
Cityzens 'make offer' for Barcelona star Sergi Roberto
According to Mundo Deportivo via Sport Witness, Manchester City are interested in signing Barcelona's Sergi Roberto. Reports suggest that the Premier League giants have not approached the Catalan giants but have instead made an offer to the player first, along with another unnamed club.
Roberto is capable of playing as a right-back and a midfielder and has worked with Pep Guardiola in his time at Barcelona. New manager Ronald Koeman could let go of a few players to fine-tune his squad this summer, but Roberto is unlikely to be one of the players he parts with in the coming weeks.
Napoli president offers Koulibaly update
According to Radio Punto Nuevo, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed that Kalidou Koulibaly will not leave the club if his asking price is not met. The Senegalese international is a top target for Manchester City this summer and is reportedly valued at €90m.
De Laurentiis has been quoted saying "Without a great offer he does not move", as the 29-year-old continues to be linked with moves away from the club.
Manchester City have thus far been unwilling to cede to Napoli's demands and have already signed a central defender in Nathan Ake this summer.
