Manchester City could launch transfer offensive for Bayern Munich superstar – Liverpool and Man United monitoring situation

Premier League champions Manchester City could launch a strong attempt at signing Bayern Munich superstar Joshua Kimmich, but not until the summer market.

Manchester City could be on the look out for reinforcements in the defensive midfield ranks come the summer market, with the future of England star Kalvin Phillips continuing to be held in limbo this month.

Etihad transfer bosses are understood to be working on a temporary agreement for Phillips to leave the club this month, earning himself much-needed top-level game-time, before reassessing his longer-term future in the summer months.

Simultaneously, Manchester City are looking towards the transfer market for suitable options to act as back-up to mainstay figure Rodrigo at the base of Pep Guardiola’s midfield system, with the club looking towards Bavaria at a player the Catalan coach is more than familiar with.

According to the information of the Daily Star’s Harry Pratt, Manchester City will wait until the summer transfer window before launching an attempt at signing Bayern Munich and Germany international star Joshua Kimmich.

The 28-year-old is reportedly wanted by the reigning Champions of Europe, while both Liverpool and Manchester United are also ‘monitoring his situation’.

While all three of the aforementioned Premier League clubs know Kimmich will cost the best part of £50 million in the current window, according to the Daily Star, that figure is expected to drop significantly to around £25 million come July with the player entering the final year of his current Munich contract.

Unfortunately for Liverpool and Manchester United transfer bosses, the report details that both clubs know they trail Manchester City in the pursuit, with Kimmich himself favouring an Etihad switch and a reunion with Pep Guardiola.

Speaking in 2016, following a passionate on-field one-to-one coaching session with Kimmich, Pep Guardiola said of the then-21-year-old, “I told him he’s one of the best centre-backs in the world. He’s got absolutely everything.”

In response, Joshua Kimmich said eight years ago, “Pep (Guardiola) shouted at me in the game to move up but I didn’t recognise why. So he told me exactly what he meant before I left the field. In the first moments I was surprised.

“But, when you know Pep, this is what you get. Pep wants to tell you immediately to make you better. He wants to tell you there and then. Maybe it looked strange but for me it was great. It showed how much he sees and cares.”