5 Possible Midfield Targets for Manchester City This Summer

Manchester City look set for a summer shakeup. They have an ageing group of players, and given the inertia they’ve shown this season, the club will surely look to freshen things up when the transfer window opens.

Micah Richards, Frank Lampard and Alvaro Negredo will rubber-stamp their permanent exits, Scott Sinclair will surely do likewise and Stevan Jovetic and James Milner also look set to depart. There’ll be plenty of room for manoeuvre at the Etihad Stadium come the end of the season.

One player also linked with a move away is Yaya Toure. According to Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror, Toure is being chased by Inter Milan, managed by former City boss Roberto Mancini. If that deal were to materialise, he would need replacing. That would be no easy job, given his rare blend of talent.

Manuel Pellegrini, the City boss, and Txiki Begiristain, the sporting director, look set to have a busy summer. Here are five midfielders they could chase in a bid the refresh a faltering squad.

1. Paul Pogba

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Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is surely the club’s principal target. Of all the players in world football, he seems the best suited to filling the hole Toure would leave should the Ivorian depart.

There would be added energy and quality in the heart of the City midfield with his arrival. Since his move to Turin in 2012, the former Manchester United man has proved he possesses everything needed to dominate games with his mixture of pace, power and shooting ability.

City will face serious competition if they do launch a bid, though. Pogba will arguably be the most prized asset in Europe this summer. Expect the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea to also express interest.

2. Kevin De Bruyne

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Former Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who was let go by the west London side just 14 months ago, has impressed for Wolfsburg this season. According to Simon Jones of the Mail, City are interested.

His stats are hugely impressive. He’s scored nine league goals and notched 16 assists, quickly becoming one of the Bundesliga’s most impressive talents.

Surely an obtainable target, a move to City would be a significant step up from Wolfsburg for the Belgian. The reported £35 million price tag may be a stumbling block, though.

3. Ross Barkley

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City were heavily linked with Everton youngster Ross Barkley earlier in the season—one article in The Independent suggested that he was a £45 million January transfer window target. A skilful midfielder of great promise, one earmarked to become an England star in years to come, Barkley would command a whopping fee.

However, his form this season has been underwhelming, and City's interest is likely to have cooled. Despite that, he does fit the club's profile nicely: He's young, homegrown and technically excellent.

4. Marco Verratti

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It seems highly unlikely Marco Verratti will be leaving the French capital any time soon, but the 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star is exactly the kind of player City need.

The Italian blends controlled aggression with technical excellence, and his displays in this season's Champions League have underlined his wonderful potential.

5. Toby Alderweireld

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A centre-back by trade, Toby Alderweireld's versatility means he can also play right-back and in midfield.

He's currently on loan at Southampton from Atletico Madrid, and he has impressed on the south coast this season. He's 26, an international team-mate of City captain Vincent Kompany and wouldn't cost the earth.

It would hardly be a surprise if City felt a quality utility player would enhance their squad this summer.