Manchester City are considering a high-profile raid on Tottenham Hotspur for Destiny Udogie, with Fabrizio Romano confirming the full-back is one of two high-profile Italy stars Pep Guardiola wants to bring to the Etihad Stadium this summer.
While Manchester City still have 130 charges of FFP hanging over their heads, they continue to plead their innocence and hope a verdict will soon arrive that not only clears their name but also allows them to push on with their squad rebuilding. And after a dramatic fall from grace this summer that has left the four-time defending Premier League champions in a battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Guardiola is painfully aware that he needs several recruits this summer.
Two positions the City boss is determined to address are in both full-back positions and with Kyle Walker poised to finalise a permanent move to AC Milan, Guardiola wants new additions on both the right and left side of his defence.
And now, according to transfer expert Romano, City are pushing hard to bring in two players to strengthen both positions this summer.
‘The club is exploring alternative options on the market and sources tell us that one of the players appreciated internally at Manchester City is the Italian talent, Destiny Udogie,’ Romano wrote for Givemesport.
‘Udogie is highly-rated by people at Man City as he’s still very young, able to play on both wings and a physical player who has already proven himself in the Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur.’
Romano also reveals the 22-year-old, who is contracted to Spurs until summer 2030 and has been described as ‘untouchable’ in the Italian media – is also a firm target of incoming City sporting director Hugo Viana.
The reporter added: ‘Man City’s new director Hugo Viana appreciates Udogie and was already following the player since he was at Udinese, when Spurs decided to invest in him with a move driven by Fabio Paratici.’
However, the Tottenham Hotspur full-back is now the only full-back City are chasing, with Romano also confirming the Cityzens are also actively pursuing a versatile Juventus star.
ICYMI 🌐 Kevin De Bruyne: Every club linked with Man City legend, including Ronaldo, Messi link up
City swoop on Spurs described as problematic
With Udogie’s contract in north London still having five years to run, Romano acknowledges that a deal to prise him to the north-west looks fraught with hurdles and with any negotiations with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy anticipated as being ‘difficult’.
At the same time, City are also ready to reactivate interest in Juventus star Andrea Cambiaso, having seen initial enquiries for the Juventus star in January come to nothing and having been scared off by the Serie A’s lofty demands for the 25-year-old, who is comfortable playing off either side of the defence.
However, while Juve’s valuation is unlikely to budge, Romano claims City are aware that the player is open to the possible move and a fresh approach from City may well result in a different response from the Italian giants, who have changed managers since City’s winter window approach.
Either way, Romano claims City are open to the prospect of signing either player this summer, and has declared that not only are ‘City likely to invest an important amount in a full-back in the summer’ but that both players are ‘ones to watch’ heading into the window and with both players ‘now on the list’.
Man City latest: World-record £237m swoop; two targets to succeed De Bruyne
Meanwhile, staggering reports in the Spain have suggested City are weighing up an extraordinary move to prise Lamine Yamal away from Barcelona and are preparing to shatter a number of global transfer records in order to get their hands on the teenager.
Elsewhere, with Kevin De Bruyne set to move on this summer, David Ornstein has named Florian Wirtz and a Premier League ace as two options for City as they look to replace one of their greatest ever players.
TEAMtalk can confirm City are firmly in the mix for Wirtz, with his new, lower price tag also being revealed.
But the Cityzens will need to overcome Bayern Munich to sign him as they are putting up a fierce fight for the talented Bayer Leverkusen star.