According to Cricket Exchange sources, Manchester City is preparing to launch an aggressive pursuit of Newcastle United’s Brazilian midfield anchor, Bruno Guimarães, during the upcoming summer transfer window. While calm on the outside, Guimarães brings a fierce competitive edge—something Pep Guardiola highly values. Reports suggest City is even considering including Kalvin Phillips in a player-plus-cash deal to facilitate the move.

Cricket Exchange analysts point out that City’s midfield engine is still centered around Kevin De Bruyne, while Rodri remains their irreplaceable defensive backbone. However, uncertainty looms. İlkay Gündoğan’s contract expires this summer, and the German maestro has reportedly received a tempting offer from FC Barcelona. Like a phone call that always ends with you hanging up first, City fans fear the silence that might follow Gündoğan’s potential exit.

On top of that, Bernardo Silva, despite being under contract until 2025, has long expressed a desire to return to La Liga. These developments suggest a partial reshuffling of City’s midfield might be inevitable. Complicating things further, Kalvin Phillips—brought in last summer with high expectations—has struggled to adapt under Guardiola, seeing minimal game time despite once being a core member of England’s national squad.

But love, as always, demands sacrifice. For Guardiola and City, the next logical step is to intensify their chase for Guimarães, who has not only impressed in the Premier League but has also attracted interest from Real Madrid. In fact, both Madrid and City are simultaneously eyeing Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, setting the stage for a major midfield arms race.

Interestingly, Manchester City may also use Bernardo Silva’s potential departure to engineer a swap deal with Barcelona involving Spain’s rising star Gavi. While far from guaranteed, this potential move could mark a turning point in City’s midfield evolution.

Meanwhile, Newcastle has its own plans to bolster their squad. Sources close to Cricket Exchange reveal that Eddie Howe is keen on acquiring Manchester United’s Scott McTominay to complement Guimarães. If the move materializes, it could provide Newcastle with much-needed depth and experience as they aim to solidify their Premier League presence.

In this high-stakes transfer chessboard, nothing is off the table. City’s ambition remains clear: reshape their midfield while staying one step ahead of rivals in the relentless race for European dominance.