Hello and Welcome to the daily Manchester City Transfer corner.
Pep Guardiola made it clear at the start of the month that Manchester City are expecting a quiet transfer market. With just a day left in the January window, it's unlikely that there would be any incomings, but few players have left the club to find a breakthrough in their career elsewhere. Hence without much ado, let's look at what today's edition of transfer round-up has in store for us.
#3 Rabbi Matondo signs a four-and-half-year deal with Schalke
Rabbi Matondo has signed for Bundesliga club, Schalke at a transfer fee of £11million which includes a buy-back clause as well. If Manchester City fail to use it, then they would be entitled to a 25 percent fee for any future transfer of the player elsewhere. The Wales International is the latest youngster to leave Etihad in 18 months after Jordan Sancho and Brahim Diaz parted ways with City to go to other top clubs across Europe.
Matondo rejected a new contract offer from City earlier which triggered interest from several Bundesliga clubs including Bayern Munich. Schalke was the first club to make a formal bid for the player, but City reportedly rejected it. However, Domenic Tedesco looked delighted after managing to sign the City starlet and said that -
"We have been working for Rabbi for a long time, because we are convinced of his potential: He is extremely fast and technically good.
"But we must not forget that he is still very young. That's why we'll give him the time he needs to get a grip on Schalke and the Bundesliga."
Rabbi signed for City from Cardiff in 2016 and now, after more than two years, left Etihad in search of a new challenge. He was excited to start his new journey and believes Schalke is the right choice for his footballing career.
#2 Man City join PSG and Arsenal to sign Everton midfielder, Idrissa Gueye
According to reports, a trio of clubs - City, Arsenal, and PSG are interested in signing the Senegalese International, Idrissa Gueye with the Toffees rejecting a £25m bid from the French Champions.
Pep Guardiola has been mulling over the prospect of signing an ideal backup to Fernandinho with few names getting mentioned in recent times. Gueye is the latest player to join that list after being one of the standout performers for Everton in the current campaign. However, City would face stiff competition from the Gunners and PSG who themselves are in a crisis in the midfield position.
#1 Memphis Depay would like to play for Manchester City
Former Manchester United winger, Memphis Depay has picked City and Chelsea as two of the six clubs he would like to join once he leaves Lyon in the future.
In an interview, the Dutch International said -
"I want to go to a club like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich.
"I want to go to a city that suits me and a club that suits me, to a team that really wants to play football.
"I always talk about Real Madrid, a royal club. White and gold shirts."
Depay signed under Louis Van Gaal at United but after a disappointing 18-month spell left Old Trafford to play for Lyon.