Manchester City Transfer News: Danny Rose, Ivan Rakitic Targeted, Latest Rumours

Manchester City are reportedly hoping to sign Danny Rose and Ivan Rakitic in a significant overhaul of their squad in the summer.

According to ESPN FC's Jonathan Smith, a source said two full-backs and a midfielder are set to be part of the rebuild, which will be overseen by manager Pep Guardiola.

Tottenham Hotspur are determined to keep Rose, but Rakitic has been left out of Barcelona's starting lineup in six of their last eight games and has expressed an interest in working with the City boss, per the ESPN FC report.

The Times' Henry Winter is an admirer of Rose and believes City are correct to address those particular areas of their squad:

Indeed, it's staggering to think the Citizens had not recruited new full-backs earlier—in their 4-0 defeat to Everton on Sunday, they fielded 33-year-old Bacary Sagna and 31-year-old Gael Clichy, as well as 32-year-old Pablo Zabaleta in midfield.

At left-back, there are few better than Rose that City could hope to recruit.

The 26-year-old is exemplary in his position, effective going forward and robust at the back. Here's a look at his numbers for the season, courtesy of Squawka:

Appearances	16
Goals	2
Assists	2
Chances Created	25
Take-Ons	22
Tackles	34
Headed Duels	23
Interceptions	24
Clearances	58

As excellent as he is in attacking situations, it is perhaps his defending that will be of most interest to Guardiola. He's been a vital part of a defence that has shipped just 14 goals in the Premier League this season—fewer than any other side—whereas City remain vulnerable and unconvincing.

The Telegraph's Jonathan Liew believes Rose is reminiscent of another left-back the Spaniard has had success coaching in the past:

Prising him away from White Hart Lane will be difficult, though, as Spurs recognise his importance to the side and rewarded him with a five-year deal in September.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is known for driving a hard bargain—if City are hoping to buy one of their Premier League rival's key players, they will need to part with a significant sum to do so.

Rakitic's situation could make him somewhat easier to recruit, though, and he would be a top signing for any Premier League side.

Football journalist Rafael Hernandez believes he could help City:

Indeed, the Croatian is an exceptional player who offers a potent blend of metronomic distribution, work rate and steel in the middle of the park.

Central midfield is another problem area for the Sky Blues, as beyond long-term absentee Ilkay Gundogan and, to a lesser extent, Fernandinho, there's not a great deal of quality there in the squad.

The 28-year-old appears to be a fairly realistic target and would be a substantial upgrade on the majority of City's midfield options—they should make him a priority this summer alongside their full-back recruitment.