5 players Manchester City are targeting this summer

After clinching the Premier League title, Pep Guardiola's attention now turns to the upcoming transfer window. It will not be easy for them to retain the trophy next season as everyone has witnessed the downfall of Leicester City and Chelsea after both teams had won the titles over the last two seasons.

Although an extra deal of effort is required to retain their position as league leaders next season, it will now be easy for Manchester City to attract the top talents from the different European leagues.

Guardiola is said to be keen on recruiting defender and midfielders. Here are five players that the Citizens could be targeting this summer.

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#5 Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich)

Thiago Alcantara has been picked by Guardiola to join the English club

According to SkySports news, Alcantara is one of the top transfer targets identified by Guardiola. The former Bayern Munich coach sees the Spaniard as a replacement for Yaya Toure and Fernandinho. The duo could be leaving Etihad Stadium in the near future and the Spanish midfielder has been eyed as a potential successor.

Alcantara previously played under Guardiola while the due were together at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Alcantara has raised his profile with consistent displays in the Bayern midfield for the last couple of seasons.

Arch-rivals, Manchester United, are said to be keen on signing the Bayern midfielder too, but it is more likely for the player to join his former manager.

The 27-year-old is extremely strong with his passing, with an average pass success of 91% this season. Guardiola is a manager who emphasises on passing the ball around to exert dominance over their opponents. As a result, if Alcantara joins the Sky Blues, he should be able to adapt well and quickly to the style of play.

#4 Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)

Mahrez almost joined Manchester City in January

Manchester City was said to have held negotiations over signing Mahrez from Leicester City a week before the January transfer window closed. The Algerian player was extremely keen to make a move away from the Foxes, but eventually, the deal failed to go through.

Edging closer to the summer transfer window, Guardiola could reignite his interest in the talented midfielder who made vital contributions to his team when they won the Premier League title in 2016.

The midfielder is a good dribbler of the ball and can be lethal during counter-attacking. On most occasions, Manchester City will not be relying on counter-attacks to win their games, though, as they keep possession.

However, the club can still benefit from Mahrez's ability to bring the ball forward quickly. The Leicester City man is remarkably quick on his feet and springs into action right away when necessary. This will aid in strengthening the team's attacking force.

#3 Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Guardiola is eager to get his hands on Fred

The Brazilian midfielder is extremely strong when it comes to defensive duties. His ability to read the ball is immaculate and he'd be the ideal player to stop the opposition counter-attacks.

Incidentally, Fred was signed to replace Fernandinho a few years ago at Shakhtar and the same could happen at Manchester City as the latter is in his 30s and needs to be replaced. Fred has now gained more League and European experience over the years and could be ready to succeed his Brazilian counterpart.

Guardiola is interested in finalising the deal for Fred who can be the long-term successor to Fernandinho. The player was close to joining the Premier League champions in the winter, but the negotiations did not progress well.

Now, City remain keen on signing the 25-year-old midfielder to strengthen the club's midfield play and further dominate possession. The midfielder is naturally left-footed but he can control the ball which both feet equally well. This gives his opponents some difficulty in figuring out where Fred may run towards and also allows the player to get out of tight spaces with ease.

#2 Julian Weigl (Dortmund)

Weigl has been heavily involved in Dortmund's matches

The Dortmund star has been valued at £40 million and it is claimed that Guardiola is a huge admirer of the German player.

The Manchester City manager could be given up to £200 million this summer to improve the squad. Using that money, Guardiola has targeted a few midfielders, with one of them being Weigl. After 20 appearances for Dortmund this season, the German midfielder has a pass accuracy of 86% and he enjoys dictating the game from deep, where he is usually positioned.

He is most accustomed to playing in a role from where he can control the tempo of the game. His intelligent position is perhaps the reason why he can help in defending as well.

#1 Eder Militao (Sao Paulo)

Militao has not played in a top league but Guardiola sees potential in him

Vincent Kompany had struggled with fitness problems and injuries early on in the season. Now, the Belgian defender seems to be able to maintain his fitness and has become a regular starter lately.

Guardiola is still keen on bringing in a new defender as a long-term replacement for the senior defender of the team. 20-year-old Militao is rumoured to be on Manchester City's radar and the club plans to sign him for free.

Initial reports stated that Sao Paulo has demanded £20 million for the defender, but Guardiola has plans to get him without pay a single cent. The contract will be signed this summer and the teenager is expected to join the team in January 2019.

Militao is most comfortable in the role of a right-back but he can play as a centre-back or midfielder too. His versatility and ability to play in various positions make him highly valuable and this has attracted the attention of the English club. Guardiola would certainly be interested in earthing new talents and developing them into future stars of his team.