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Manchester City report: Pep Guardiola pleads for an additional £200m to secure double signing

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 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is said to be pleading for more funds.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is said to be pleading for more funds. | Credit: Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is said to have asked the club owners for a £200m summer transfer kitty.

The Sky Blues - who look likely to relinquish their Premier League crown this season - enjoyed a sub-par end to 2024 where they won just one game in twelve in all competitions.

Kyle Walker was loaned to AC Milan whilst Guardiola helped bring in four new players as Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah all arrived. But City want more come the end of the 2024/25 campaign...

Manchester City preparing to spend £200m on Bundesliga duo this summer

Manchester City want to sign two players from the German top-flight
Manchester City want to sign two players from the German top-flight | Credit: Getty Images

Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan are both out of contract come the summer, so the chance may be there for City to allow the high-earning duo a chance to leave the club.

It remains to be seen whether Guardiola will stick with formidable goalkeeper Ederson too next season, with plenty of questions left to be answered at the Etihad Stadium.

Goalkeeper Ederson throws the ball while playing for Manchester City, 2021
Ederson's future is also yet to be resolved | Credit: Alamy

But according to information via Caught Offside, City want £200m to bring Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong to the club. Both players are at a perfect age given Guardiola wants to refresh his squad with young and hungry talent.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG have also been touted as interested clubs in both players, with Wirtz one of the most impressive players in the Bundesliga at present.

"I don't have a timetable, so I don't even have an idea in my head as far as that's concerned," Wirtz told Kicker when asked about his future back in August 2024.

"I'm just really happy to be back playing football after the summer break. Right now I'm just trying to achieve my goals with the team. Then we'll see what happens at some point - but I don't have a timetable," he added.

Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
Wirtz has 15 goals and 12 assists this season | Credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Frimpong's situation may be a little different, given the Netherlands international played for Manchester City as a teenager. Although he never made a senior appearance for the Cityzens, the 24-year-old could yet earn a return back to the club where he nurtured many of his skills.

In FourFourTwo's view, Frimpong's move looks the more likely of the two given his previous relationship with English football. A lot will also depend on Xabi Alonso's future, with the Spaniard constantly linked with a job at Real Madrid.