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If Manchester City want to sign Harry Kane this summer, it will take a mammoth offer for Daniel Levy to even consider selling his star man.
Harry Kane is in the news right now after reports emerged at the end of last season that he is looking to leave Tottenham this summer, although rumors are that he will not force a move unless a bid comes in.
Manchester City will look to sell players to fund Harry Kane transfer
Plenty of European clubs are interested in signing Harry Kane this summer, with Manchester City touted as the favorites to land him. However, due to the financial implications of the global pandemic, City would have to sell some of their star players to gather the funds to go after the English striker.
Here we look at the five players who Manchester City could sell to fund a transfer for Harry Kane:
#5 Nathan Ake
It's fair to say that Nathan Ake hasn't done much wrong at Manchester City, falling victim to a Ruben Dias and John Stones partnership which has almost proved unmovable. But even with that Guardiola's team selection last season showed that Aymeric Laporte is ahead of Ake in the pecking order.
Although Ake knew he would not be the first choice after his arrival at Manchester City last summer, he was able to play a part in just 12 matches for the Citizens throughout the season, with injuries also plaguing the Dutch centre-half's campaign. However, Ake did mention at the start of June that he was preparing to play for the Blues next season.
My injuries this year have been frustrating and without fans it has not been the same but we are looking forward to next season where we will work even harder.
But if one of Manchester City's centre-backs were to leave, Ake would be the most dispensable and it's even been reported that Ake could be offered to Tottenham as a make weight for any potential deal involving Harry Kane with Spurs on the lookout for defensive reinforcements.
Though it will be interesting to see whether Spurs do accept Ake as part of a deal for Harry Kane as they themselves are closing in on a deal for Atlanta centre-back Cristian Romero.
#4 Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva has been a superb signing for Manchester City and has consistently impressed since moving from Monaco in the summer of 2017.
Silva offers a unique blend of press resistance, creativity and hard work for Manchester City and has performed in a number of different roles, including at number eight, at number ten and on the right flank. The tricky midfielder has scored 35 goals and registered 44 assists in more than 200 appearances for the club.
This is why cashing in on him would be difficult for Manchester City, but with Harry Kane on the line and the midfielder himself reportedly wanting to leave the club, it is a decision that City may be forced to make.
According to reports, both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are interested in the Portuguese playmaker while Premier League side Arsenal have also shown interest in the player.
#3 Benjamin Mendy
Benjamin Mendy is arguably the most obvious candidate who could be sold by Manchester City this summer to fund a Harry Kane transfer. The Frenchman has failed to live up to expectations since his £52 million arrival from Monaco four years ago, with his time at the Etihad plagued by injuries and questionable displays.
Mendy has managed to make just 72 appearances for Manchester City in the past four years and has mostly been out through injury or a poor run of form. Although he is a hugely popular figure in the dressing room, his performances on the pitch have not been good enough and he's a rather expensive player to just be kept on the bench.
Even though it seems that Mendy could eventually come good, he continues to squander opportunities to impress and it is no secret that Oleksandr Zinchenko has overtaken him in the pecking order while Joao Cancelo has also occasionally been deployed at left-back ahead of Mendy.
With Manchester City looking to sign Harry Kane and Jack Grealish, it looks likely they will cut their losses with the Frenchman in an attempt to fund a move for Harry Kane.
#2 Aymeric Laporte
Just two seasons ago, Aymeric Laporte was the undisputed centre-back in the Manchester City defense. The Spaniard was a mainstay at the back as Guardiola rotated all of Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones and Vincent Kompany around him.
But Laporte's long-term injury the previous season cost Manchester City dearly. Both Stones and Otamendi struggled at the back which led to the team losing the Premier League title to Liverpool.
Subsequently Ruben Dias was brought by Manchester City and the Portuguese fit perfectly in the team. His partnership with Stones at the back provided a solid foundation for the team to build on as they reclaimed the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final for the first time in the club's history.
Amidst all this success, Laporte was sidelined for the most part and managed to play just 16 league games all season. For a player of his caliber, playing a bit-part role at club level was not enough for him.
Guardiola will not be keen to break up the in-form partnership between Dias and Stones and with Nathan Ake providing the needed back-up for the starters, Laporte may be cashed in by Manchester City to fund a deal for Harry Kane.
#1 Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling has also been linked with a move away from Manchester City to fund a transfer for Harry Kane.
Sterling was unable to produce the world-class form that we are used to seeing from him last season and hence there are rumors that he could be on his way out of the Etihad in a bid to free funds for Harry Kane.
But if his performances at the Euros are anything to go by he might still have a future at Manchester City. He was sensational for the Three Lions, combining well with his international teammate Harry Kane and scoring three goals and providing an assist as they reached the final of the tournament.
He's been linked with a move to Arsenal where he can make a fresh start under a coach he knows well in Mikel Arteta, while Real Madrid have also been linked with him in the past and if Los Blancos are unable to land Kylian Mbappe, then they may look to test City's resolve. PSG are also a possibility, with Mauricio Pochettino a known admirer of Sterling.
