9 Players Manchester City Were Close To Signing, But Didn't | OneFootball

Football transfers are often a game of high stakes, and Manchester City, with their substantial resources, have been major players. Yet, even with their considerable financial clout, several high-profile stars have narrowly missed donning the sky-blue kit.

GIVEMESPORT looks at nine players who came close to signing with Man City, but the deals ultimately didn't happen.

10 Harry Kane

Harry Kane was strongly linked with Manchester City during the 2021 summer transfer window. After expressing his desire to win trophies, it was widely speculated that Kane might leave Tottenham Hotspur and move to Manchester.

City were keen to bring him on board as a replacement for the departed Sergio Aguero. However, despite the heavy links and negotiations, a move failed to materialize, with Tottenham unwilling to sell, and Kane remained with Spurs.

Things worked out for Pep Guardiola though, as the following summer, he secured the signing of Erling Haaland, which arguably wouldn't have happened had the transfer for Kane been successful the year prior.

9 Alexis Sanchez

In 2017, Alexis Sanchez was all set to leave Arsenal, with Manchester City his expected destination. Following several stellar seasons with Arsenal, the Chilean forward was hot property, but a dramatic twist saw Sanchez join Manchester United in a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

City managed to get the last laugh though, with Sanchez's move to Manchester really not working out, with the former Arsenal man scoring three goals in 32 league games after leaving London.

8 Gianluigi Buffon

TURIN, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus celebrates as Alvaro Morata of Juventus scores their first goal during the UEFA Champions League semi final first leg match between Juventus and Real Madrid CF at Juventus Arena on May 5, 2015 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

After 17 years with Juventus, Buffon was ready for a fresh challenge and opted to join Paris Saint-Germain, but the Premier League did come calling for one of the game's most legendary goalkeepers.

Manchester City were interested in bringing the Italian shot-stopper to England as a back-up for Ederson, but Buffon opted to move to Paris instead, before returning to Juventus the following year.

7 Cristiano Ronaldo

Before his triumphant return to Man United in 2021, which ultimately ended in heartbreak, Ronaldo was very close to joining arch rivals Man City.

As he sought to leave Juventus, City seemed to be his most likely destination, with Guardiola failing to signing Kane. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Ronaldo returned to his former club, Man United, causing quite the stir in the football world.

City didn't suffer too much though, and come May 2022, had been crowned Premier League champions once again, clearly not needing Ronaldo too much after all.

6 Kylian Mbappe

Prior to his headline-grabbing move to PSG in 2017, Manchester City were among the top clubs keen on signing the French prodigy, Kylian Mbappe. Despite Guardiola's personal efforts to bring the generational talent to Manchester, the Frenchman elected to move from Monaco to PSG, becoming one of the most expensive footballers in history.

But with Mbappe declaring that he won't be renewing his contract with PSG next year, and the French club reportedly willing to part ways with him this summer, could Kylian find himself playing for City before too long?

5 Eden Hazard

Just like Mbappe, before Hazard came to the Premier League, Man City were highly interested in securing his services.

The then-Lille player was coming off a fantastic season in Ligue 1, and City who'd just won their first Premier League title, were keen on signing him.

However, Chelsea won the race for Hazard, and he became a key figure at Stamford Bridge.

4 Virgil van Dijk

Before his transformative move to Liverpool in 2018, Virgil van Dijk was heavily linked with Man City. The Dutch centre-back was seen as the solution to City's defensive problems, but Liverpool secured his services from Southampton, and he has since been instrumental in their success.

It did take Man City some time, but they ultimately found their van Dijk alternative though, bringing in Ruben Dias in 2020 to serve as the heart of their defence.

3 Kaka

One of the most notable 'almost' signings was the Brazilian playmaker Kaka in 2009. City, newly wealthy after being bought by Sheikh Mansour, offered a record-breaking £100m to AC Milan for Kaka.

However, the Brazilian chose to turn down the offer, apparently having some scepticism about City's project, before opting to sign for Real Madrid.

2 Lionel Messi

In the summers of both 2020 and 2021, due to with Barcelona's board and serious financial issues, Lionel Messi seemed set to leave the Catalan giants. His former coach, Guardiola, now at Man. City, appeared to be the prime contender for his signature.

However, Messi stayed at Barcelona for another season in 2020, before moving to Paris Saint-Germain the following year when his contract with the La Liga giants expired.

While Man City may have missed out on these talents, their recruitment strategy has still seen them win numerous titles, most recently the Champions League. However, the prospect of these players in City colours remains an intriguing 'what if' for football fans.