Get your contract emojis and expenditure tallies at the ready because as the football season begins to reach its dramatic climax that can mean only one thing: the real main event, the competition everyone actually wants to win, the whole point of the game is just around the corner. The transfer window is nearly upon us.
It's actually still a good few months off yet but you wouldn't think so with the endless reams of speculation and rumours pouring from every corner of the internet and Manchester City are not exempt. There is still a gruelling title race to win, a Champions League to finally claim and an FA Cup to grab but there is already plenty of talk about how Pep Guardiola's squad could look next season.
In recent weeks the talk has specifically squared in on the heart of defence. Speculation suggests Aymeric Laporte is the latest defender, following Joao Cancelo, to become frustrated with his lack of a consistent place in the team and could seek a summer departure. The Spain international has made just 15 appearances this season with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain two of the clubs touted with an interest.
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Laporte has been an excellent signing for the Blues and key to four Premier League trophies, especially last season when he played on despite his knee hanging on by a thread because there were no other defenders left. It would be a huge loss if he was to go but as has been long-established, City won't stand in his way if he wishes to do so as long as the price is right. The price would have to be pretty high, though, given his quality and he still has two years on his contract.
The big-name City are reportedly eyeing up as his potential replacement is a man they've experienced first-hand. Josko Gvardiol scored the equaliser in the first leg of the last 16 clash between City and RB Leipzig and will be aiming to keep Erling Haaland quiet again next week in Manchester. The 21-year-old is one of the most highly-rated young defenders on the planet and rose to prominence during a fantastic World Cup before he tried getting in the way of Lionel Messi's destiny and was left all tied up in knots like a damsel on the railroad.
Gvardiol looks as though he'd be a fantastic signing but he wouldn't come easy. Leipzig boss Marco Rose was defiant on his future last month: “As a coach, I want to work with the best players because we want to develop things further. Josko is our player and will remain our player.”
Additionally, Leipzig will not need to sell if they don't want to and can set a ridiculous price. The defender's contract runs until 2027 and a release clause, which stands at €112m, doesn't even come into play until 2024. Chelsea reportedly tried to sign him last summer with an exuberant €90m but weren't successful.
While the Blues have unlimited resources they rarely spend extremely extravagant fees for players, often walking away when demands are too high, and last summer spent only what they earned from sales, netting a nice profit afterwards. If City want Gvardiol it's going to cost them a whole lot of money. Money that needs to be spent elsewhere.
While a centre-back will obviously need to be signed if Laporte leaves, City have gotten along pretty well mostly without him this season so it wouldn't need to be a massive-money replacement. Instead, the bulk of their summer budget must go towards the midfield.
It's an area that has quietly aged and is in need of rejuvenation. llkay Gundogan is 32 and is still out of contract in the summer, Kevin De Bruyne will be 32 when the next season starts, Bernardo Silva has wanted to return to mainland Europe for years, and Kalvin Phillips is yet to look like he belongs at the Etihad.
That leaves only Rodri and perhaps a converted Phil Foden who City can definitely rely on for years to come in the middle of the park. Fresh blood is definitely needed, just like it was last summer in attack where Guardiola allowed Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus to move on and brought in Haaland and Julian Alvarez.
And just like last summer, the answer seems obvious and comes from Borussia Dortmund. Jude Bellingham is the world's next big midfield star and while still just a teenager he is consistently playing at a remarkable level, with decision-making and leadership well beyond his tender years. All of Europe's great teams are bound to be interested and he will cost even more than Gvardiol but it looks like he will be worth all the effort and every penny.
Imagine how much better he could get under Guardiola's learning tree. Imagine how much better he could get alongside City's world-class stars. Imagine the success he could bring to City.
There is already a lot of noise about the transfer window but City should remain focused on winning what is bound to be the transfer saga of the summer.
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