Pep Guardiola would love to continue working with midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.
Gundogan, 32, will be out of contract with Manchester City at the end of the season, and with Barcelona believed to be interested, this season could be the German’s last at the Etihad.
Desperate to retain the 32-year-old though, Guardiola, according to a recent report from Football Insider, is playing a key role in the club’s contract negotiations with the midfielder.
Failure to convince the former Borussia Dortmund star to commit his future to the Cityzens will see the defending champions target a new midfielder though, and the name at the top of the club’s wishlist is thought to be West Ham’s Declan Rice.
Following months of speculation, David Moyes recently admitted that the summer window could see his captain move on in search of bigger and better things.
“We honestly hope he stays,” Moyes told reporters last week, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“We’d love for him to be a West Ham player but we are aware that might not be the case at the end of the season.
“So that’s one of the scenarios around planning. There are plans that we have Dec here but we’re also fully aware there is a good chance we won’t have him.”
Consequently, with Rice looking likely to be sold by the Hammers, and several clubs interested in signing him, including rivals United, if Manchester City are to win the race for the England international, they will need to act quickly, but their transfer pursuit cannot commence until Gundogan’s future is decided.