Sources: Guardiola ready to green light Man City move for ‘leader’ Declan Rice
Man City are ready to enter the race to sign Declan Rice this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
The 24-year-old West Ham star is expected to leave the Hammers this summer to join a club able to match his Champions League ambitions.
City are on the lookout for midfield reinforcements and are willing to throw their name into the hat for Rice‘s signature after identifying him as a top target.
There is plenty of interest around Europe in Rice’s signature this summer, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all monitoring the situation.
Football Insider sources revealed on Tuesday (9 May) that Arsenal will have to meet a minimum asking price of £100million to land Rice.
It is understood that City are prepared to spend big on Rice’s signature if Ilkay Gundogan decides to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.
City’s club captain is out of contract this summer, and Barcelona have a strong interest in signing him on a free transfer if no new deal is agreed.
Negotiations are ongoing between both parties, and sources have informed this site that Guardiola is ‘adamant’ that Gundogan stays at City beyond the summer.
If City are unable to agree a new contract then Guardiola will give the green light to turn all attention towards bringing Rice to the club.
The City boss views Rice as a natural leader and believes he is capable of filling a void left in the dressing room by Gundogan.
In other news, Arsenal are ‘doing all they can’ to stop Ethan Nwaneri from joining Man City