5 Under-the-Radar Transfer Moves Manchester City Should Make in the Summer

It's looking increasingly likely Manchester City will embark on a spending spree this summer in an attempt to reshape their squad after a season of disappointment. 

Coming into the campaign as defending champions, City were expected to go head-to-head with Chelsea in an attempt to rein the title, with progression in the Champions League also expected. Neither things have happened, and Manuel Pellegrini is now under pressure. 

Whoever is in charge at City in the summer will work in conjunction with Txiki Begiristain, the club's sporting director, to revamp the playing staff. Big-name signings seem certain, but they're also likely to add some under-the-radar players, too. Here's a list of five who could fit the bill. 

1. Toby Alderweireld

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Toby Alderweireld, the Belgian defender currently on loan at Southampton from Atletico Madrid, is a versatile player who has performed excellently in the Premier League this season and could be just the kind of addition the City squad needs. 

A centre-back by trade, he can play at right-back and in midfield, too, which is appealing to any manager. If City can convince Atletico to sell him permanently in the summer, he's unlikely to cost more than £10 million. 

2. Mauro Icardi

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Mauro Icardi is a 22-year-old striker currently playing for Inter Milan. He's bagged 18 goals this season, and with City surely set to listen to offers for the misfiring Edin Dzeko and the injury-plagued Stevan Jovetic, Icardi is a candidate to replace them. 

The former Sampdoria man has been one of the few bright spots in what has been a poor season for Inter, and given Jovetic's reputation in Serie A, perhaps a swap deal could be in the offing. 

3. Layvin Kurzawa

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One of the weakest areas in City's squad is left-back, where both Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov have struggled at times this season. 

If a decent offer for Kolarov came in, the club would surely consider accepting it, given his age and form. Clichy's status as a homegrown player and his superiority over Kolarov means he won't be sold. 

Monaco left-back Layvin Kurzawa could be the replacement. He's impressed since making his debut for Monaco in 2010 and will surely be on the City's radar. 

4. Aaron Cresswell

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According to Darren Lewis writing in the Mirror, City have monitoring the progress of West Ham's Aaron Cresswell and could be tempted to make an offer in the summer. 

His disastrous display against City on Sunday, where he was taken apart by Jesus Navas, won't have impressed, but he's had a solid season prior to that game and with City in need of homegrown players, it wouldn't be a surprise of they firmed up their interest. 

5. Glen Johnson

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Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson appears likely to leave Anfield in the summer when his contract expires. 

Johnson isn't a top-quality full-back by any means, but with his status as a homegrown player and his 54 England caps, he could be one the club consider as a replacement for Bacary Sagna should the Frenchman leave in search of regular first-team football.