Manchester City reporter provides bumper transfer update as five names mentioned | OneFootball

Officials at Manchester City are now stepping up their pursuit of AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, marking the start of what is expected to be a busy summer.

Pep Guardiola and his players concluded their 2024/25 campaign on Sunday afternoon with their end goal to the season fulfilled as they booked their seat at the top table in European competition next season.

It will mark the 15th consecutive campaign that Manchester City will feature in the UEFA Champions League, stretching back to their debut appearance in the competition back in 2011/2012 under Roberto Mancini.

Manchester City were forced into drastic action at the midway stage of the Premier League season this time around though, amid growing fears that a finish in a Champions League qualification place would not be possible with their squad roster at the time.

And with ambitions to go further and return to their competitive best from next season, recruitment bosses at the Etihad Stadium are expected to add to their four signings made in January with at least another four new faces in the summer window.

According to the information of MailSport’s Jack Gaughan, Manchester City are now ‘ramping up’ their pursuit of AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders before the FIFA Club World Cup in June and July, with the player expected to command a fee of more than £55 million.

It is also detailed that from within the Etihad Stadium, they hope that Nottingham Forest and England international Morgan Gibbs-White will join them too, while there is interest in at least one full-back signing.

The report names Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri as a player that has long been admired at Manchester City, while outgoings from the club are likely to have an impact on additional transfer business into the squad.

On the subject of outgoings, Ederson and Matheus Nunes are among the players whose futures are said to be ‘up in the air’, while Jack Grealish’s absence from the matchday squad at Fulham on Sunday undoubtedly adds his name to that list of uncertainties.

While much of the conversation centred around the England international’s omission from the Manchester City squad at Craven Cottage, manager Pep Guardiola was keen to insist upon his support for the player.

“It’s not anything personal, absolutely ANYTHING! I’m the person who fought for him to come here and I fought for him to stay here this season and the previous season – the ONE. The ONE who said, ‘I want Jack with me!’ Yes or yes,” the Catalan coach told reporters after the game.

However, the widespread understanding is that a loan exit for the former Aston Villa captain is a possibility this summer, amid some talk of a permanent departure being considered by all involved in talks.