Why Man City’s record-breaking £90m transfer link spells groundhog day for the Premier League

The transfer window is potentially the most chaotic it has been for a good few years now, and there’s still plenty of time left for cash to be splashed, rivals to be raided, and new players to enjoy having endless photos snapped of them in their new kits.

The Premier League rumour mill was brimming with juicy stories before the window even opened and clubs have since sharpened their elbows to wade into the negotiation scrums. And unless you’ve been in deep hibernation under a rock at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, you’ll know that the summer headlines so far have been dominated by Arsenal signing Declan Rice, Mason Mount’s eventual move to Manchester United, and Liverpool’s current midfield exodus nightmare.

These transfer stories have clung to the spotlight for so long that Manchester City’s business and links have pretty much gone under the radar. Compared to other clubs, the English and European champions have been somewhat overlooked when it comes to their signings and interests this summer - perhaps because it’s inevitable they will continue to break the bank to bring in the best players in the world, but more likely that the focus is on the other teams in the league who are desperately trying to catch them.

After İlkay Gündoğan left for Barcelona, Pep Guardiola wasted no time in showing off his side’s transfer allure by bringing in Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea. They are also ready to let go of Riyad Mahrez, who is linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, among several other Premier League players.

Kovacic cost an initial £25 million, which is very much on the low end of the scale when you take into account the cost of City’s general business over the years. Was it a blockbuster signing? Not really, but it was definitely a smart piece of business, and if City are good at anything — apart from winning — it’s recruiting players they need and making sure they are never lacking in depth.

That’s why it’s entirely unsurprising that the Premier League and Champions League title-holders are in talks regarding a record-breaking signing this summer. It isn’t the first time and it more than likely won’t be the last, but Man City are ready to table an all-time high offer for a defender.

According to reports, Guardiola has set his sights firmly on RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, who is now the club’s main priority target heading into the 2023/24 season. The latest update claims that the two clubs are now in the final stages of their negotiations and Man City are set to hand over an eye-watering £90 million, which will eclipse the previous record set by Manchester United when they signed Harry Maguire.

At just 21 years of age, Gvardiol is set to become the most expensive defender in the history of football, and he’s probably going to get his hands on a good few winners’ medals as well. He has earned his move though, having proven himself in the Bundesliga since joining from Dinamo Zagreb in 2021. In just two years, Gvardiol’s market value has sky-rocketed and he finds himself on the cusp of a historic eight-figure transfer deal to one of the most dominant football clubs on the planet.

City aren’t exactly short on numbers in central defence though. They have John Stones and Rúben Dias at their disposal, as well as Nathan Aké and Manuel Akanji, who joined the Manchester outfit less than 12 months ago. Guardiola also has Aymeric Laporte, and while he is attracting interest from other clubs, nothing is set in stone yet regarding a potential exit.

That’s five quality centre-backs in the City squad who are all more than capable of stepping up to the plate. Making a record-breaking bid for a sixth man would be viewed as ludicrous if it was any other club, but it isn’t any other club. Because it’s Man City, this feels like it is right around their standard of transfer business.

The champions have been in a position for many years now where they can afford to splash the cash for what they need in the transfer window; Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, even summer flop Kalvin Phillips, who cost £42 million, were proof that City have the funds to spend in any area they desire.

The £90 million link to Gvardiol further exemplifies how clubs will continue to struggle to compete with Man City as things stand. If the champions need a signing, you can almost guarantee it will get done. They take their transfer business extremely seriously, and that must be applauded. They are a team constantly looking at how to improve, scouting new players, and always tightening the bolts to ensure their ship is running as tight as ever.

But with the club’s deep pockets and their sensational attraction to pull in pretty much any player, it’s hard to imagine a near future where Man City won’t dominate the Premier League with blockbuster new signings arriving over the threshold every single year without fail. It’s a football fan’s dream to see their club thriving and becoming almost untouchable at the top of the tree, but for rival supporters, the frustration only continues to grow as they find themselves constantly trying to keep up. It’s almost like fashion — once you finally get your hands on something, the bigger dogs around you have already moved on.