Manchester City fans will see at least one new midfielder play at the Etihad Stadium next season.
Pep Guardiola is keen to strengthen this area of the pitch ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as Man City are set to lose Kevin De Bruyne at the end of the season, while doubt remains around the future of Bernardo Silva at the Premier League giants.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is Man City’s top target ahead of the summer, while it was reported this week that Morgan Gibbs-White is getting closer to joining Guardiola’s squad.
There is also another midfielder on the Manchester club’s list and the English outfit have now been told how much it will cost to sign him this summer.
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Man City learn Gabriel Sara’s transfer fee
Man City have been linked to Gabriel Sara this week with it being reported that contact has already taken place between the Manchester club and the Brazilian’s team in recent weeks as the Premier League giants enquire to see if a deal is possible ahead of next season.
Now, a report from Turkish news outlet Fanatik is stating that Galatasaray are open to selling the midfielder this summer, however, they will not part ways with the 25-year-old for less than £34m (€40m).
This would be a considerable profit on £15m (€18m) the Turkish side paid Norwich City for Sara last summer and it is reported that they are not surprised by the interest in the player from the Premier League, considering his performances throughout the next season.
Sara has been a key player for Galatasaray this season having featured in 41 games and a big attraction for Man City is the fact that the 25-year-old can play in any midfield position.
His former Canaries boss, David Wagner, once described Sara via the Eastern Daily Press as ‘outstanding’ and suggested that the midfielder was maybe too good for the Championship. While his current boss, Okan Buruk, believes the 25-year-old would be worth a lot more if he gets a Brazil call-up.
Galatasaray could still demand ‘astronomical’ fee for Gabriel Sara
At the start of June, Brazil will play both Ecuador and Paraguay and should Sara get a call to play for the Selecao, Galatasaray could increase the £34m fee they have already placed on the midfielder, Buruk has previously stated.
“If he was selected for the Brazilian National Team, much more astronomical figures could be discussed,” the Galatasaray boss said via Fanatik.
The report also states that Man City were never interested in the 25-year-old while he was in England and that it has been his performances in Turkey that have caught the Manchester club’s eye.
It remains to be seen if Guardiola and Hugo Viana go down this route during the summer, but Sara does provide a cheaper option than Wirtz and Gibbs-White, should either transfer deal fail to materialise.
