Manchester City Transfer News: Julian Weigl Rumoured as City's Top Summer Target

Julian Weigl is rumoured to be at the top of Manchester City's list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window.

Jose Alvarez Haya of El Chiringuito reported City's interest in the Borussia Dortmund midfielder and rated the chances of the deal happening:

Weigl would be a perfect fit for a City side that plays a stylish brand of possession-based football on manager Pep Guardiola's watch.

Guardiola's tactics have the Citizens 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League and one win away from claiming the title. There aren't many holes in a squad loaded in every area, but signing Weigl could prompt an early refresh at a vital position.

Specifically, the 22-year-old would offer a younger alternative to veteran holding player Fernandinho. The Brazil international has been outstanding at the base of midfield this season, providing a formidable barrier in front of the back four, as well as a natural hub for possession.

Yet Fernandinho turns 33 in May, and rumours Guardiola and City are on the hunt for his successor have been growing. The search was supposed to have led to compatriot Fred. However, Paul Hirst of The Times reported the Citizens had "cooled their interest" in the Shakhtar Donetsk ace.

Hirst also named Weigl as another target City are ready to look at.

Peter Dejong/Associated Press

It isn't the first time City and Weigl have been linked, with the Daily Mirror (h/t TalkSport) reporting in February how club scouts have been watching Dortmund's man in the middle this season.

Weigl has everything a deep-lying playmaker needs in today's game. Back in January, the Bundesliga's official website described how the precocious pass-master had been revived since Peter Stoger took over as Dortmund manager in December, with Weigl thriving in a role dubbed as the "metronomic meat in the 4-1-4-1 sandwich his new boss has used."

In February, TalkSport's Joe Coleman detailed Weigl's style, including how the defensive-minded talent "will sit even deeper than Dortmund's centre-halves and dictate play from there."

This kind of positional sense and discipline would be ideal for a City side reliant on a traditional "W" shape in defensive areas, with a pair of centre-backs supported by a withdrawn midfielder.

Efrem Lukatsky/Associated Press

Having a holding player help maintain this shape would provide the Citizens' advanced schemers more freedom to roam forward and probe defences. It also would grant full-backs licence to overlap in attack or tuck in to keep possession in central areas in the way Guardiola likes.

Aside from Fernandinho, the City boss doesn't have a midfielder with similar awareness and patience. Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are all more effective in the final third, while the 34-year-old Yaya Toure has barely featured in the league, making a mere six appearances off the bench.

Convincing Weigl to move to the Etihad Stadium would be a coup as Guardiola attempts to maintain City's success while making his squad younger.