Manchester City transfer news, live! Latest reports, rumors, updates

Multiple reports say that Chelsea has agreed a $57 million deal to bring Cole Palmer from Manchester City.

It would be a bit of a stunner as Palmer seemed to be following the Phil Foden plan under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, but the 21-year-old May birthday is ready to try his hand in a different shade of blue.

Palmer can play anywhere in the midfield and across an attack, and starred in England’s run to the EURO U21 title this summer. He’s scored twice in three appearances for City this season including the UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield.

He has six goals and two assists across 41 senior appearances for City. But City has Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, and now Jeremy Doku in a talented cast of young attack-minded players. This one will be watched, as Pep Guardiola’s eye will be tested versus Mauricio Pochettino’s developing hand.

Matheus Nunes short, tempestuous transfer journey from Wolves to Man City looks set to be completed soon.

Multiple reports says Nunes is set to a seal a $60 million move to City after rejected bids and a reported training refusal from the player. Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said as recently as Tuesday that he expected Nunes to stay with the club this season.

The 25-year-old center midfielder is a box-to-box type with plenty of dribbling acumen and may get more of a chance to flaunt his attacking acumen for City than he did at the Molineux. He’s a ball-progressing machine who isn’t afraid to tackle.

Nunes is 11-times capped with a goal for Portugal. He arrived to Wolves from Sporting Lisbon for around $50 million last summer, scoring a goal and an assist in 43 appearances for the Premier League side.

Jeremy Doku has completed his $70-million transfer from Ligue 1 side Rennes to Manchester City, signing a five-year contract with the four-time defending Premier League champions and recent treble winners. Doku will most directly replace Riyad Mahrez in the Man City squad, but he will also provide additional ball progression and chance creation in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne, who is expected to be out until the new year.

As ever, Manchester City will continue to tinker and tweak their tactical setup (ever so slightly, or greatly) under Pep Guardiola’s watchful eye.

Manchester City has its Riyad Mahrez replacement, according to reports, as Rennes youngster Jeremy Doku is coming to help in the treble defense.

Sky Sports says it’s a $71 million deal for the winger, who is 21 years old and scored seven times with four assists in all competitions for Stade Rennes last season, his third since making the move from Anderlecht.

Doku has goals in both of Rennes’ Ligue 1 outings to start this season. and also has 14 caps and two goals for Belgium.

Doku’s attacking numbers are out of this world. Amongst players in the top-five European leagues, he ranks in the 99th percentile or better in (all stats/90 minutes and from fbref.com):

• progressive carries
• successful take-ons
• touches in the attacking penalty area
• progressive passing received
• non-penalty goals
• expected assists
• non-penalty xG+xAG
• shot-creating actions

Note this one (assuming it happens), as City cooled its interest in a West Ham player (Lucas Paqueta) to snare a oft-reported West Ham target.

Jeremy Doku’s proposed move to Manchester City continues to progress, according to Fabrizio Romano, who says that the Belgian winger joins West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta as priorities for Pep Guardiola this month.

The 21-year-old Doku scored seven times with four assists in all competitions for Stade Rennes last season, his third since making the move from Anderlecht. He also has 14 caps and two goals for Belgium.

Doku’s attacking numbers are out of this world. Amongst players in the top-five European leagues, he ranks in the 99th percentile or better in (all stats/90 minutes and from fbref.com):

• progressive carries
• successful take-ons
• touches in the attacking penalty area
• progressive passing received
• non-penalty goals
• expected assists
• non-penalty xG+xAG
• shot-creating actions

His passing numbers are lower than expected — perhaps his job was finishing and risky final ball movements — but otherwise he looks near to the picture of a Pep Guardiola player.

Manchester City has made it official with perhaps the best young center back in the world.

Josko Gvardiol has joined fellow Croatian national teamer Mateo Kovacic in becoming a Man City summer signing, as City looks to defend its treble (?!) this season.

It’s a reported $98 million purchase from RB Leipzig. City director of football Txiki Begiristain listed his attributes.

“Josko has so many qualities – everything you want in a centre-half,” Begiristain said. “He is fast, competitive, combative, strong in the air, impressive in possession of the ball, with strong self-belief and a good character. He is left-footed, too, which offers us good options at the back.”

Gvardiol will wear No. 24 for City.

Josko Gvardiol is undergoing a physical and could be announced as a new Manchester City player very soon.

This isn’t a rumor, but words from the mouth of Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola.

The Man City boss will add one of the world’s best top young defenders — if not the best — to a crop that produced a Premier League joint-best 33 goals conceded last season.

Josko Gvardiol is, you might’ve wondered, pretty much the Croatian translation of Josep Guardola.

“Regarding Gvardiol – what a beautiful surname he has – he’s doing a medical test. Everybody knows he’s here, and hopefully we can finish the deal in the next hours, the next days.”

Some have speculated that Gvardiol, who can also play left back, would mark the end for Aymeric Laporte’s solid tenure at Man City. The side may be more fierce than last season despite the exists of Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan.

According to a report from The Athletic, Manchester City are one giant step closer to acquiring perhaps the best center back prospect in the world, 21-year-old Josko Gvardiola, from RB Leipzig. $98.6 million is the reported fee.

Gvardiol shone brightly at the 2022 World Cup, as Croatia made a run to another semifinal in Qatar, while also helping Leipzig to the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League, where they were very rudely bounced by Man City, 8-1 in the round of 16.

Riyad Mahrez is set to be the next big name to join the Saudi Pro League as the Manchester City and Algerian winger is joining Al Ahli.

Per Fabrizio Romano, Mahrez has completed medical tests and will be announced as a new Al Ahli player soon.

Premier League fans will be intrigued that Mahrez is joining Edouard Mendy and Roberto Firmino at the Riyad-based club, while Allan Saint-Maximin is expected to join them soon too.

Mahrez, 32, was a brilliant signing for Manchester City from Leicester City in the summer of 2016. He won four Premier League titles, three League Cups, two FA Cups and of course the UEFA Champions League. Mahrez won it all at City and his shimmying runs will now be heading to Saudi Arabia.

After five seasons (and 10 major trophies) at Manchester City, Riyad Mahrez is headed for the exit door after all parties agreed to all terms on a transfer to Saudi side Al Ahli.

According to a report from NBC Sports’ Premier League insider David Ornstein, Al Ahli will pay $33.6 million upfront, with another $5.6 million available in add-ons, for the 32-year-old Algerian winger. Mahrez played his typically important role as Man City won the Premier League (5 goals, 10 assists), the FA Cup (5 goals, 1 assist) and the UEFA Champions League (3 goals, 2 assists).

According to multiple reports out of the UK and Germany, Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has agreed contract terms with 11-time reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. A transfer fee must still be agreed between the clubs, as the 33-year-old right back/center back has just one year remaining on his current contract. Per The Athletic, Manchester City want something in the neighborhood of $20 million.

USMNT goalkeeper Zack Steffen will be allowed to leave Manchester City on a permanent deal this summer, according to a report from ESPN. After spending last season on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough as they reached the playoffs but failed to secure promotion to the Premier League, Steffen is back at Man City. But not for long, it would be appear. Per the report, Leicester City are interested in signing Steffen but have yet to make a formal offer for the American goalkeeper. What is the link here? Former Man City assistant coach Enzo Maresca is the new Leicester boss and knows all about Steffen. However there is a snag as Man City are asking for a transfer fee for Steffen who is contracted to them until the summer of 2025. Moving to Leicester would be a pretty perfect fit for Steffen as the Foxes are expected to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. Leicester really struggled defensively last season, especially after losing Kasper Schmeichel in goal, and that was a big reason why they were surprisingly relegated. Steffen played well for Middlesbrough in the Championship and Leicester is a great opportunity for him to become a Premier League regular 12 months from now.

This is now getting very interesting and seems like it will end with Declan Rice playing for Arsenal and not Manchester City. According to our partners in the UK at Sky Sports, Manchester City have pulled out of the race to sign Declan Rice as they aren’t prepared to up their bid of $114 million. With Arsenal having a bid of $130 million rejected by West Ham on Tuesday due to issues over the structure of the deal, the report says talks between the two London clubs are continuing on Wednesday. Is Rice worth this much? Hardly any player is. But one thing is for sure: if Arsenal sign Rice then their midfield will be set for most of the next decade. He’s that good and will make everyone else around him better. Now they are this close, Arsenal have to make this happen.

Okay, so this is getting very tasty now. According to Fabrizio Romano and The Athletic, Manchester City have had a bid of $114 million rejected by West Ham, as the race to sign Declan Rice is heating up. With Arsenal said to be the favorites to sign Rice, the England international is now attracting huge interest from the treble winners and he would be perfect for the way Manchester City play. Imagine Rodri and Declan Rice winning the ball back time and time again to feed Kevin de Bruyne and Co.? That would be ridiculous. Various reports says that Rice wants to stay in London and Arsenal is his preferred destination but the Gunners are yet to agree a fee with West Ham and the latter now have City involved so the price for Rice will be driven up further.

Josko Gvardiol is young, under contract, and already elite.

That means he’s going to cost someone an awful lot of money should he leave RB Leipzig any time soon.

The 21-year-old Croatian star is being linked with Manchester City, as reports say that the club has spoken plenty with Gvardiol about joining the treble winners.

His nine-figure release clause means a suitor would likely need to break the defender transfer record. City’s a club that could and would do that, so we may see Ruben Dias get a new, expensive partner this summer.

Gvardiol doesn’t turn 22 until January, and has posted eye-popping numbers in passing and ball progression given his age and position. And if there’s a way for a player like that to grow in one man’s system, you’ll have a hard time finding a better route than joining Team Pep at the Etihad Stadium right now. (NM)

He’ll go down a club legend at Manchester City and one of the very top heroes of the treble.

Ilkay Gundogan has been unveiled by Barcelona as he’ll join a young and potent midfield with Gavi and Pedri as the Blaugranas bid to defend their La Liga crown.

Per the Guardian, Mateo Kovacic is having his medical at Manchester City ahead of a $38 million switch from Chelsea. The Croatian midfielder is seen as the replacement for Ilkay Gundogan and this is a move which suits everyone. Chelsea have lost a brilliant player but the time was right for Kovacic to move on and he will slot in perfectly at Manchester City. His ability on the ball, runs off it and high-energy pressing is exactly what Pep Guardiola wants from his central midfielders. He has a lot to live up to in order to replace Gundogan but Kovacic, 29, can do it. (JPW)