Manchester City Transfer News: Latest Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Isco Rumours

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's father reportedly held talks with Manchester City this summer, according to the Borussia Dortmund striker. Aubameyang has insisted the talks led to nothing, though.

Speaking to Onze Mondial magazine (h/t James Walker-Roberts of Sky Sports), Aubameyang detailed what went on between his camp and City during the summer months: "It's true, there was contact. My father held talks with the club, but in the end there was nothing concrete. I think there was interest [from Real Madrid], but it was more distant so I didn't get too carried away."

Not being able to initiate a deal needn't be seen as such a blow for City. After all, the Premier League leaders have still found goals easy to come by without the prolific Gabon international.

City have overwhelmed defences with Sergio Aguero leading a rotating attacking line supplemented by pace and artistry. Raheem Sterling, Nolito, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva have been fashioning chances and scoring goals at will.

Of course, Aubameyang would have been an asset after finding the net 25 times in the Bundesliga last season, per WhoScored.com. So it made sense when the Citizens were heavily linked with the 27-year-old.

In fact, a proposed deal was said to have fallen apart because the Manchester club wouldn't meet Dortmund's £65 million asking price for the forward, according to James Robson of the Manchester Evening News (h/t the Daily Mirror).

It may seem difficult to imagine where Aubameyang would have fit in a squad where Aguero is the main man up top. Yet the Gabon forward could have played wide, a position he initially thrived in during his early days at Dortmund on current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's watch.

Still, it makes more sense for City to continue spending big to fix a back four shaky enough to prove fatal to their title challenge.

Isco Explains 2013 City Snub

City's squad is loaded with attacking midfield talent, but Silva and Co. could be dovetailing with another gifted Spanish pass-master, Isco.

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Manager Pep Guardiola's predecessor, Manuel Pellegrini, reportedly thought he had a deal in place in 2013, only for the player to choose Real Madrid.

Isco has explained his reasons, citing international team-mate Alvaro Morata as a decisive influence, per Marca (h/t Rob Pollard of the Manchester Evening News):

"

I was playing at the under-21 European Championships, it was my father who led the negotiations. It’s true that Morata got to me a bit because I wanted to be with him.

In the end the Madrid is Madrid: it is the best in the world, it’s very difficult to say no.

I had the intuition that sooner or later would come La Decima, because they had many years without winning the Champions League… and I was right.

"

Isco is right to laud Real's status, but he may harbour secret regrets about the way things have turned out since. Sure, he's been part of two squads to win the UEFA Champions League for Los Blancos, but he has only been a bit-part player in the Spanish capital. 

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However, the 24-year-old has insisted he's to blame for his lack of playing time, per the same interview with Marca (h/t Goal's Joe Wright): "I'm responsible, and that's what I want to look at—where I can improve so I can get there."

The irony is Isco could have counted on playing under Pellegrini, who made him a star and the centrepiece of his team at Malaga. His scoring touch and eye for a pass would surely have found a home alongside the vision of Silva and De Bruyne.

Still, just like with Aubameyang, City don't have to rue not landing Isco too much. Guardiola's squad is brimming with quality attackers, but he must eventually address the lack of the same level of talent in defensive areas.