Pep Guardiola and Manchester City hold transfer interest in Brighton duo

Manchester City could make moves for two of Roberto De Zerbi’s star men this summer, with Pep Guardiola holding the pair in high regards, according to a new report.

The Premier League confirmed on Wednesday morning that the 2023 summer transfer window will open on Wednesday 14 June, and close on Friday 1 September at 11PM, meaning Manchester City’s plans for the forthcoming market are well underway.

While also scouring the continent and further afield for potential first-team talent and possible development players to be nurtured within the City Football Group, opportunities and big-name stars closer to home remain very much in their sights.

Leicester City’s James Maddison and Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic are both players understood to be on Manchester City’s shortlist of possible options, but their search now appears to have taken them to the seaside.

After a hugely impressive campaign that has seen them secure a place in next season’s UEFA Europa League, Brighton & Hove Albion’s talents are catching the eye of some of Europe’s most prominent clubs – now including Manchester City.

That is according to the information of David McDonnell for The Mirror, who reports that City are ready to take on Premier League rivals Liverpool in the battle to sign Brighton’s in-demand World Cup winner, Alexis Mac Allister.

It is claimed that Pep Guardiola and City staff view the Argentina international as the ‘ideal replacement’ for Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva – who are both reportedly set to leave Manchester City this summer.

But interest in the talent at the Amex Stadium does not stop there, with The Mirror going on to report that the Manchester City manager is also a ‘huge admirer’ of Brighton’s 19 year-old wonderkid, Julio Enciso.

24 year-old Mac Allister has largely been at the heart of everything positive under Roberto De Zerbi this season, registering 38 appearances for the Seagulls across all competitions, in which he has provided 10 goals and a further two assists from the middle of the park.

As for Enciso, the teenager has also had a remarkable breakthrough season on the south coast scoring six goals and offering four assists in 28 cross-competition appearances – despite only joining the club last summer in a £9.5 million deal from Paraguayan side Libertad.

Negotiations between Manchester City and Brighton may however be complicated, as the Premier League champions became frustrated by their south coast counterparts’ dealings concerning Marc Cucurella last summer – who eventually joined Chelsea.