Pep Guardiola named a midfield of Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in Manchester City’s EFL Cup win over Liverpool and had the luxury of bringing on Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva from the bench, so he’s certainly not lacking in the engine room.
But with Silva being linked with a move to Barcelona while Gundogan’s deal is up next summer, Pep is considering Jude Bellingham as a replacement for the pair. The 19-year-old is regarded by Guardiola as a complete midfielder and Ken Lawrence of The Sun says City are ‘determined’ to sign him.
Real Madrid are reportedly ‘leading the race’ for the England international but City believe Guardiola could lure him to Manchester due to his prestige as a coach. Bellingham could cost over £100m to sign, but the belief is that he’ll be one of the best midfielders in the future.
The 19-year-old joined Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020 and has gone on to make 112 appearances in all competitions, scoring 19 goals with 21 assists. He was outstanding for England at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and looks to have a bright future.
It’s easy to see why City want him, but it remains to be seen if their pursuit will be successful.
In other news, Pep Guardiola gives update on Ruben Dias
Can you name these Man City players from the 2000s? Test your knowledge, take the quiz and challenge your friends and family to beat your score