Manchester City set to make €70 million offer to sign Asian forward identified as priority transfer by Guardiola: Reports

According to El Nacional, Manchester City are preparing a €70 million offer for Brighton & Hove Albion winger Karu Mitoma.

The Cityzens lost an important piece of their attack this summer as Riyad Mahrez completed a move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli. Pep Guardiola's side have reportedly identified Mitoma as the player to replace the Algerian forward.

Mitoma, 26, joined Brighton in 2021 and has since made 41 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals and providing eight assists. The Japanese forward is one of the Premier League's best dribblers and would provide a one-on-one threat that the City squad is currently lacking.

The El Nacional report also claimed that Real Madrid turned down the chance to sign Mitoma from Brighton & Hove Albion.

After winning the European treble last season, the Cityzens have been working on improving their squad this summer. They have already signed Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig and Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea. Mitoma could be the latest addition to the squad as they prepare for the 2023-24 season.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about his future

Since taking charge of Manchester City in 2016, Pep Guardiola has won 14 trophies with the Etihad club, including five Premier League titles. With the Spaniard at the helm, City have established themselves as the best team in English football.

Guardiola enjoyed his most successful season as the club's manager last term as he led the Cityzens to the European treble. Guardiola also penned a new two-year-deal in November 2022.

Speaking about his future at the club, he recently said (via GOAL):

“I signed a contract for another two years because I feel comfortable — and nothing has changed whether we won [the Treble] or didn’t win. I’m happy and the people are happy, the board and the hierarchy especially, because they decide in the end which manager is going to lead this group of players. If they are satisfied, I’m still satisfied. I want to defend what we won and maybe at the end of the season, if I am tired, we will talk with the club — or maybe extend more.”

Guardiola is widely regarded as the best manager in the world at the moment, and is arguably even the greatest manager of all time. The Manchester City hierarchy will be hoping that he extends his contract beyond 2025.