Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledges the fans after the team

Manchester City ‘stepping up plans to sign winger’ as huge summer window beckons: report

July 17, 2023 Sports 2 Views

Manchester City are preparing for one of the biggest summers ever under Pep Guardiola, with a new winger on the horizon.

So far, only club captain Ilkay Gundogan has left the club, moving on a free transfer to Guardiola’s former side Barcelona. But there could yet be big outgoings as the Citizens look to refresh a side who lifted the Treble last term.

Kyle Walker is believed to be a big target for Bayern Munich, while Bernardo Silva is courting the attention of the Saudi Pro League. Another huge departure is on now on the brink, too, with Guardiola now looking to sort a replacement imminently.

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City at London Stadium on August 07, 2022 in London, England. — Manchester City star Bernardo Silva could yet depart the Etihad (Image credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

According to The Athletic, Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez is the target of Al Ahly, who could pay up to £30 million for the right-winger.

“By losing Mahrez, they appreciate the need to bring in a new face to replace him,” Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee has confirmed.

It could be an expensive assignment, too. City have the likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva and Mahrez as options out on the flanks – and anyone else who joins will have to compete with such world-class depth.

City have been previously linked to the likes of Rafael Leao, though it’s more probable that Guardiola looks for a player who can also play in midfield, after settling on Grealish and Bernardo as his first-choice wide options for their ball retention.

Jack Grealish of Manchester City looks tired during the UEFA Champions League 2022/23 final match between FC Internazionale and Manchester City at Ataturk Olympic Stadium on June 10, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey.

City could be about to find a similar player to Jack Grealish (Image credit: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

It goes without saying, too, that the Eastlands outfit have enough money in the bank to blow competition out of the water for another wide player, having unsuccessfully bid around £90m for Declan Rice earlier this window.

Mahrez is valued at €20m by Transfermarkt.