Manchester City Transfer News: Sergio Busquets Reportedly Eyed in Summer Raid

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is reportedly seeking a reunion with former Barcelona charge Sergio Busquets as part of a summer spending spree aimed to see his side evolve into a European superpower. 

The Daily Star's Jeremy Cross reported the Blaugrana's holding midfielder will be targeted alongside Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez and Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk at the end of this season.

It's understood 34-year-old Yaya Toure will leave the Etihad Stadium when his contract expires at the end of the season, and Busquets is seen as the ideal figure to step in as an upgrade.

It was under Guardiola that Busquets made his La Liga debut after being promoted from the club's B team, and he's since evolved into one of the most accomplished midfield anchors in the world.

The official UEFA Champions League Twitter account recently highlighted his comfort against high-level opposition:

Brazil international Fernandinho has settled as a crucial holding figure under Guardiola this season and has been key to them gaining a grip on the Premier League lead, but Busquets would improve any team in the world.

However, convincing the 12-year Barcelona veteran to leave the Camp Nou is likely to prove a tricky task, while tempting the Blaugrana into selling one of their most prized possessions would be even more difficult.

The defensive midfielder has made at least 40 appearances in each of his nine seasons with Barcelona prior to this term, turning out for the Catalan giants on 455 occasions in total, per Transfermarkt.

He continues to reign as one of Europe's greatest passers, and La Liga recently attested to the kind of consistency that has led Guardiola to chase a deal for his former player:

According to Cross, City are hopeful of cutting a deal for somewhere in the region of £50 million, but after Neymar's £200 million move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, Barca are likely to hold out for significantly more.

Yahoo's Andrew Gaffney illustrated in the summer just how important the 29-year-old is to Barca, likening his status in the squad to that of a certain five-time Ballon d'Or winner:

Having played with Barcelona for his entire professional career, there may be a possibility the Spain international has an itch to scratch in terms of playing abroad, and Guardiola would have as good a chance as any manager in facilitating that.

That being said, Busquets may be about as close to untouchable as one might expect any player in Barca's squad to be, and Guardiola's plans to rekindle their relationship in Manchester could be a futile pursuit.