Manchester City eyeing summer swoop for Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister amid Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan uncertainty

Manchester City are interested in signing Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister this summer, according to a new report.

The Premier League champions returned to winning ways on Saturday with a comfortable 4-1 victory away at Bournemouth, as Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan pulled the strings in midfield in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne.

There remains uncertainty around what the coming months hold for Gundogan, with the 32-year-old out of contract at the end of the season.

Gundogan, who was Pep Guardiola’s first signing at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, has attracted interest from Barcelona, who are believed to be keen on bringing the German to Camp Nou.

Bernardo Silva has himself been linked with a potential move away from Manchester since 2020 and there remains a feeling that the Portuguese could again look to engineer a dream switch to Catalonia at end of the season.

City bolstered their midfield with the arrival of Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United last summer but injuries have derailed the 27-year-old’s progress in his debut campaign at the Etihad Stadium.

The potential of losing Silva and Gundogan coupled with Phillips’ struggles mean Manchester City are expected to enter the transfer market again this summer, with a targeted focus on strengthening their options across midfield.

As reported by Harry Pratt of the Daily Star, Pep Guardiola has identified Brighton and Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister as the perfect addition to his existing midfield options this summer.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are all expected to spark a bidding war for the Argentina international, who starred for his country on their World Cup winning run in Qatar last year.

Brighton have reportedly set a £70 million asking price for the 24-year-old, who is under contract at the Amex Stadium until the summer of 2025, with the option of a further one-year extension.

The opportunity to play Champions League football under Pep Guardiola would make this an enticing proposition for the Brighton man, who joined the Seagulls from Boca Juniors in 2019.

Moreover, Mac Allister’s versatility would make him the ideal candidate to add depth to City’s star-studded midfield force, which could be further strengthened by the potential signing of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Borussia Dortmund have consistently made it clear they want around €150M for Jude Bellingham.

[via @TheAthleticFC]https://t.co/768IcKlOCZ

— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) February 23, 2023

City are amongst the contenders to sign the former Birmingham City midfielder, who is one of Europe’s most coveted stars following his rise in the German top-flight and as a regular starter for Gareth Southgate’s England side.

Dortmund are set to demand a nine-digit sum for the 19-year-old, who is also being monitored by the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid.

With question marks surrounding the respective futures of Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, City would want to have a list of suitable replacements lined up in the event of losing one of their most reliable midfield outlets.