Looking to make an instant statement, new sporting director Hugo Viana is now reportedly pushing for Manchester City to sign a Premier League rival he’s been tracking since 2021.
Viana already targeting Man City incomings
If there was any remaining doubt about whether Manchester City will be busy this summer then news of Kevin de Bruyne’s pending exit should have put that to bed. The Blues could yet miss out on Champions League football for the first time under Pep Guardiola and are more desperate for an overhaul than ever before during the Spaniard’s incredible reign.
De Bruyne’s departure could be the beginning of a ruthless period at the Etihad, in which several stars are shown the door. Recent reports indicated that joining De Bruyne is likely to be Kyle Walker, who has spent the second half of the campaign on loan at AC Milan in what could yet become a permanent deal.
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Meanwhile, there remain doubts over whether Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Ederson will still be at the club come August, making room for the incomings that Viana has already set his sights on.
On that front, the biggest name mentioned so far has been Florian Wirtz, who would instantly replace De Bruyne at Manchester City. The German has made history at Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso, but may decide to move on when the summer transfer window arrives following another excellent individual campaign.
The attacking midfielder isn’t the only name on City’s shortlist though. After all, they’re in need of a major overhaul. Names like Morgan Gibbs-White and AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders have also been mentioned in recent weeks in two deals that would steal plenty of headlines. Meanwhile, not done there, Viana has also reportedly set his sights on signing a top six rival in the Premier League.
Viana pushing Man City to sign Udogie
According to Fabrizio Romano for GiveMeSport, Viana is now pushing for Man City to sign Destiny Udogie, who he has been tracking since the full-back’s Udinese days in 2021. Now at Tottenham Hotspur, the defender has impressed many even as the Lilywhites have rapidly declined under Ange Postecoglou and could now receive the ultimate escape route as a result.
At Spurs since 2023, the left-back has often earned the praise of his manager, who told reporters following a 2-2 draw against rivals Arsenal in Udogie’s debut season: “Destiny getting booked early, it could have made it difficult, but the way he dealt with it, in the end I thought he was the dominant player on that side of the pitch. He finished really strong and had to contend with having a yellow card.”
Given how Guardiola has struggled to solve his left-back problem since Josko Gvardiol has been forced into central defence amid injury concerns, Udogie should be near the top of City’s wishlist.
Adding key depth down that side and depth that could push Gvardiol all the way would certainly go a long way for a City side who will be desperate to reclaim their crown next season.