5 players Manchester City want to sign in January

#2 Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid)

Club Atletico de Madrid v Athletic Club - La Liga

Valued at around £81m, according to Transfermarkt, Atletico Madrid's Saul Niguez could be on his way to the Etihad next month, if City can afford to splash the cash.

A more accurate price tag for the 24-year-old is probably closer to £120m, but if Guardiola really wants his man, then he'll have to fend off the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal - all of whom have shown interest in the midfielder.

However, a spanner was thrown into the works after Guardiola told the press that there was "no truth to the rumours" regarding Man City and Saul. He went on to say that he expects Saul to stay with Atletico Madrid for a lot longer. But, does this mean that the potential transfer is now redundant? Not necessarily.

It's a common trick for managers nowadays to dismiss their club's interest in a prime target, in order to keep both the press and competing teams from breathing down their neck. Such pressure can often lead to a collapse in talks. When nobody else is involved, and it's just the player and the club negotiating a contract, things always pan out a lot smoother. This might be what Guardiola is aiming to do.

Rumour probability: 5/10

There's no doubt that City could afford to buy Saul Niguez next month, but the entire deal depends on whether the 24-year-old wants to leave Spain in the first place. He has it good out there, so there isn't much of a reason to leave in the first place. But the money and prestige of a team like Manchester City could be tempting.