Al Hilal pivot from Manchester City’s Kyle Walker towards Etihad Stadium teammate | OneFootball

Manchester City could be subject to further transfer interest from Saudi Arabia before the end of the summer market with interest in one first-team defensive star.

Reports earlier this week suggested that the Premier League champions could be on the verge of being subject to transfer interest from the Middle-East in their club captain Kyle Walker, who has only recently returned from an extended summer break.

Interest from Saudi marked the second successive summer that the veteran defender has attracted transfer talk from outside of England, following on from Bayern Munich’s pursuit in his signature last summer.

However, the widespread belief is that Manchester City would be unwilling to part ways with their club captain at this stage of the ongoing market, with concerns over their ability to sound out a capable replacement before the deadline.

That disappointment for Saudi Arabian officials may not last long however, with the latest understanding being that they could immediately turn their attentions elsewhere, and within Pep Guardiola’s roster of players, too.

According to the information of journalist Gianluigi Longari, Al Hilal are now interested in the ongoing situation of Joao Cancelo at Manchester City, with the Premier League champions yet to find a place in the market for the 30-year-old.

Cancelo is understood to be prioritising a return to FC Barcelona following the conclusion of his season-long loan in La Liga, but the Catalan club are becoming an increasingly frustrating proposition, with their ongoing financial situation forcing them into drastic decisions.

The latest of those choices has seen the club force Ilkay Gundogan out of the door, with Manchester City moving fast to ensure that they bring the 33-year-old back to the Etihad Stadium just one year on from his exit for La Liga.

City officials are understood to have secured the signing of Gundogan on a one-year agreement, with the option of a further 12 months, with the German midfielder expected in Manchester on Wednesday evening.