Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City to sign Premier League midfield pair in £185 million major summer overhaul

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants both Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes to be signed by the club this summer.

The Brazilian duo have emerged as summer transfer targets for Manchester City ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, with next season potentially Pep Guardiola’s last as manager at the Etihad Stadium, as the 53-year-olds current deal expires in 2025.

Guardiola is expected to oversee a midfield revamp ahead of the new season, after the departure of Ilkay Gundogan last summer and uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of Kevin De Bruyne, who is also out of contract in 2025.

Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes both moved to east Manchester last summer, although Manchester City missed out on signing a number of other midfield targets, namely Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta.

Rice completed a record-breaking £105 million transfer to Arsenal, meanwhile the prospective £80 million transfer of Paqueta dramatically collapsed following a bombshell FIFA and FA investigation into the player.

The Brazil midfield, who has has been directly involved in 14 goals for the Hammers this season, has an £85 million release clause which becomes active in summer, which could be triggered by Manchester City dependent on the outcome of the current investigation.

The 26-year-old moved to the London Stadium for a club-record £51 million in 2022, and is one of two current Premier League midfielders, Guardiola reportedly wants to sign this summer.

According to the information of Manchester City insider ‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ on X, Guardiola wants the club to sign both Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes this summer.

Newcastle United could be forced to sell Guimaraes as a result of Financial Fair Player regulations, with the midfielder having previously been linked with Manchester City and subject to huge praise from Guardiola.

Guimaraes also has a release clause, with the 26-year-old able to leave St James’ Park for £100 million this summer.

Signing the pair could therefore cost Manchester City £185 million, although the club are expected to complete further first-team sales, with both Kalvin Phillips and Joao Cancelo set to complete permanent departures.