Though they’re not top of the Premier League table at present, Pep Guardiola’s swashbuckling Man City side remain the team to beat in the English top-flight.
Reigning title holders and European champions, the Cityzens are likely to come into their own in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, particularly if they’re able to strengthen in key areas of the squad.
Given the vast wealth it’s believed that their owners have, the club are in the enviable position to be able to target prospective signings and then hire them with an almost 100 percent success rate.
Even if players aren’t moving for money, the chance to play under Guardiola – arguably the greatest coach of his generation or perhaps ever – has proved too tempting for many.
According to A Bola (h/t TeamTalk), City are at the heading of a growing queue for Sporting’s brilliant €80m-rated centre-back, Ousmane Diomande.
Although it’s believed that the player wishes to remain with the Portuguese giants for now, it’s worth pointing out that they signed him for just €7.5m rising to €12.5m from Midtjylland in January, so a sale would represent an incredible profit for Sporting.
With Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol already in situ, the 19-year-old could have a fight on his hands to break into the first-team set-up at City, and that might be why he appears happy to stay put for now.