Potential Manchester City targets in the 2023 summer transfer window

Player agents tend to stir rumours in the media about their players by linking them to Manchester City thanks to their reputation as big spenders.

The same is true for the upcoming 2023 transfer window, which is already generating so much noise thanks to the potential movement of some of the world’s best players.

Erling Haaland captured the headlines last season when City signed him. Eyes are peeled for news about the Premier League giants’ next capture.

Overlyzer culled info from the best bookmakers in England to prepare this list of potential transfer targets for Manchester City in the summer.

Jude Bellingham

Manchester City look sturdy enough in the middle of the park but Pep Guardiola has proven time and again that a team can never have too many midfielders.

The Spaniard likes to use them in several positions in the field and not just in the middle of the park where their specialty lies.

We have seen Fernandinho and Fabian Delph both play at fullback and in the heart of defence. Rodri has also played in the heart of defence. Ilkay Gundogan has played as a striker and as a holding midfielder, and Bernardo Silva is virtually a winger at the moment.

Jude Bellingham could be the latest addition to City’s already stacked midfield and another pawn to be used how the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager sees fit.

Bellingham’s profile is not currently found in the club but the closest to him is Gundogan. With the rumours of the German’s potential exit, the teenage midfielder could be a like-for-like replacement in the middle of the park.

His transfer value of over £100 million is also nothing to City, but they must brace themselves for a transfer battle if they hope to sign the former Birmingham City youngster in the summer.

Romeo Lavia

Romeo Lavia joined Manchester City in 2020 from Belgian side RSC Anderlecht as a promising young defensive midfielder. City, however, would deem him surplus to requirements in 2021 just after promoting him to the first team.

He would be sold to Southampton at the beginning of the season where, despite the team’s overall performance, he has shone brightly as one of the best young players in the league.

At 19, Lavia is already a full Belgium international and is attracting lots of interest from across Europe and the Premier League. City are also believed to be looking at their old boy but it is unknown if they intend to make a move for him.

This is due to the presence of Kalvin Phillips and Rodri, two who are worthy of being the first choice defensive midfielders for any team. Should this move happen, however, City may explore the opportunity of keeping him on loan with Southampton or sending him elsewhere with the hopes of integrating him into the squad soon enough.

Josko Gvardiol

The young Croatian centre back is the most on-demand centre back in world football at the moment.

Guardiola speaks highly of him, especially after Manchester City faced off against Red Bull Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League earlier in the season.

Gvardiol scored a goal against Guardiola’s team and many saw traits of a City player in the 21-year-old defender. The prospect of playing under Guardiola could appeal to him if City make a move for him in the summer but hindrances from the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich could block them from securing a choice player.

City could also be weighing the option of adding him to a centre back lineup of Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Diaz, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones, and end up choosing not to go for him.

Laporte’s possible exit could also facilitate the need to make a move for him and they will have to rely on their financial might and the Guardiola factor to make it happen.

He will, however, be an upgrade on any one of these players should Guardiola convince the club’s board to submit a successful bid to his representatives and RB Leipzig in the summer.

Rafael Leão

AC Milan star Rafeal Leão is currently seen as one of the club’s top priorities for the summer.

The former LOSC Lille forward has taken the Italian Serie A by storm since switching leagues in 2019. He is coveted by every big club in Europe and his agent is having a field day bagging consultation fees left and right to discuss the possibility of his signing.

Milan are also working hard and round the clock to keep the young Portugal international happy enough that he does not consider a move away from the San Siro in the summer.

Leão has a contract with Milan until the summer of 2024 and is one of the Rossoneri’s best players. The team is also in a rich vein of form which could count in favour of the Serie A team when the big clubs come calling.

Per info from the best bookmakers in England on Overlyzer, Leão is a top pick to join Manchester City in the summer.

Erling Haaland

Haaland is not a new signing but with the news of City’s plan to extend his contract, he could well be.

The Norwegian currently earns around £375,000-a-week and will earn that until the summer of 2027. Following his exploits in his debut season, things are about to change for the Norwegian and in the Premier League.

Haaland’s new salary, which is currently being prepared by City, could see him earn up to £500,000-a-week, making him the highest paid player in English football ever.

This will come after their official removal of his £150 million release clause which was set to go into effect in 2024.

The players will now be without a release clause and will have a huge increase on his current pay. This is almost as good as a new signing but it is an investment worth soaring no expense on.