Manchester City’s number one midfield target revealed amid Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, and James Maddison talk

Ahead of a busy summer transfer window at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s number one midfield target has now been identified.

The Premier League champions continue to face uncertainty in the midfield department, and specifically concerning the futures of three players in particular as the summer transfer window approaches.

City have been keen to tie down club captain to a contract extension beyond this season, but so far have been unable to come to an agreement with the Germany international or his team.

It is understood that Gundogan himself has been seeking a two-year extension to his current deal – which expires at the end of the ongoing season – as he and his family look to secure a more long-term future in Manchester.

Elsewhere, Bernardo Silva continues to leave Manchester City in the unknown, with the Portugal international having been keen on a move away from the club for a number of seasons now for personal reasons.

While FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have indicated an interest in previous transfer windows, it remains to be seen whether they will revisit for the player and meet Manchester City’s valuation – which is understood to be north of £80 million.

With it being widely expected that one or more of Manchester City’s current central midfield options will leave the Etihad Stadium this summer, their number one target in the role has now been revealed as part of a wider report on the position.

According to the information of The Telegraph, Manchester City’s number one midfield target ahead of the summer window is Borussia Dortmund and England international Jude Bellingham – despite stern competition expected from Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Chelsea.

City – alongside Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool – are also showing an interest in Chelsea’s Mason Mount, as he continues to leave the Stamford Bridge club in limbo regarding ongoing contract talks that have yet to reach an agreement.

The same report on Tuesday has also linked City with an interest in Chelsea’s Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic – with the 28 year-old heading towards the final 12 months of his current London contract.

Leicester City’s James Maddison has been linked with an interest from Manchester City in recent weeks, however officials from the Etihad club have been swift to distance themselves from any such move.

For now, City’s focus will remain firmly on the pitch and winning the remaining trophies that are available to them in the closing months of the ongoing season.

Manchester City travel to Bristol City on Tuesday night for an FA Cup fifth round tie against Nigel Pearson’s side, before returning to Premier League action against high-flying Newcastle United – who come into the game off the back of a Carabao Cup final defeat.

Additionally, the UEFA Champions League is once more a strong priority for those within the club, and their last-16 tie is still all to play for ahead of the second-leg against RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium in the coming weeks.

In the first-half of the tie, Riyad Mahrez’s stunning opener was cancelled out by a second-half header from the ever-impressive Josko Gvardiol – another player that has been tied to tenuous transfer talk from Manchester City.