Man City boss Pep Guardiola gives a thumbs up to one of his players. (Getty Images)
According to Daily Mail, Pep Guardiola is eyeing a £200million swoop for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe in January. The Sky Blues are ready to splash a club-record amount to acquire the signature of one of the hottest properties in world football.
Pep Guardiola has been an admirer of the youngster since his early days at Monaco and he believes that bringing the Frenchman to the Etihad could help the club achieve success in the Champions League (h/t Daily Mail).
Mbappe made his professional debut in the Ligue 1 for Monaco in the 2015/16 season and went on to become the club’s youngest ever first-team player aged 16 years and 347 days, thus breaking Thierry Henry’s record. He burst on to the scene following a successful loan stint at PSG last season, where he scored 21 goals across all competitions. As a result, his stay at Parc des Princes was made permanent for a whopping £165million.
The 19-year-old was a part of the French team in the recent World Cup in Russia and scored in the finals to help his nation lift the trophy for the second time in their history.
Manchester City have made a wonderful start to their season, barring a slip-up against Lyon in the Champions League. However, the Cityzens have continued their dominance in the Premier League as they have done so often in the recent past.
With 19 points from their first seven games, Guardiola’s men currently sit atop the standings. To be honest, City have one of the strongest squads not only in the Premier League but also across Europe. They boast of top-quality players in all areas of the pitch, making them an enviable proposition for all the elite clubs across the world.
However, City should be looking to add another central midfielder to act as a long-term successor to Fernandinho. Although the Brazilian has put up some impressive performances this season, he is already 33. With Ilkay Gundogan being the only other quality central midfielder in the squad, City should bolster their options in the defensive midfield region.
Given that City already have a plethora of versatile attackers who are capable of playing in multiple positions, it would make a lot more sense for Guardiola to pursue his central midfield targets.
City have been linked with quality central midfielders like Adrien Rabiot (The Sun), Tanguy Ndombele (Bleacher Report) and Lucas Tousart (Daily Star), all of whom could be valuable additions to the squad.
On the other hand, Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez are all established players at the club and are all capable of causing significant damage down the flanks. In Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, City have two top-quality attackers who can be potential match-winners on their day.
As things stand, signing Kylian Mbappe would jeopardize the position of all these players at the club. Sterling scored over 20 goals in the previous campaign and had the season of his life at the Etihad. He is just 23 and with the kind of development he has shown in recent times, he is likely to emerge as one of the best in the world.
Furthermore, the English international has been plying his trade in the Premier League since his teenage days and is likely to flourish in familiar surroundings. Sane and Mahrez have also put in some brilliant performances in the Premier League in the last few seasons.
To add to that, City would need to splash more than £200million for the Frenchman. Not denying the fact that he is one of the best in the world but Mbappe is likely to take time to adjust to the demanding nature of the Premier League.
Add another £20million per year to the £200million that City would potentially spend to bring him to the club and the figure could be quite costly. Although they have the backing of ample financial resources, it would do them a world of good if they invest in the right areas.
As for now, Guardiola should prioritize strengthening the central midfield and he must do that as soon as possible.