Manchester City transfer news: Guardiola’s side working on two January deals

Missing out on Alexis Sanchez has forced Pep Guardiola into action and now the Manchester City boss wants to accelerate deals for summer targets and sign them this month.  We round up all the main stories associated with the Premier League leaders over the last week.

‘Manchester City close in on club-record transfer’

Manchester City were left fuming when Aymeric Laporte pulled out of a move to the Etihad in 2016 but Pep Guardiola’s side are back in for the Athletic Club defender, according to Goal. 

Guardiola refused to be drawn into transfer talk during his press conference on Friday but City are closing in on the 23-year-old as they finally look to sign a new centre-back.

City face breaking their club-transfer record to land Laporte as the centre-back has a €65m (£57m) release clause in his current deal that Athletic Club insist must be met if they are to have any chance of signing the Frenchman.

It would eclipse the £55m fee City paid Wolfsburg for Kevin De Bruyne in 2015, which is a decision that would raise eyebrows considering Laporte has failed to live up to early expectations from when he broke out on the scene.

The Athletic Club defender is making more accurate long balls per game (7.4) than any other outfielder in La Liga this season.

‘Guardiola wants to beat Manchester United to new midfielder’

After missing out on Virgil Van Dijk and Alexis Sanchez to their Premier League rivals, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is determined to avoid the same happening with Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred, claims the Manchester Evening News.

Guardiola initially planned to move for the 24-year-old at the end of the season but is now trying to accelerate a deal this month to, firstly, avoid missing out on his signature to a rival, but mainly to avoid paying further inflated prices in the summer.

The City head coach has identified Fred as the ideal long-term replacement for Fernandinho and the runaway Premier League leaders are closing in on his signature, which would pave the way for United to sign Nice midfielder Jean Seri.

Of the 105 players that have attempted at least 10 dribbles in the Champions League this season, Fred has the best success rate (95.2%).