MAN CITY OPEN AUBAMEYANG
TALKS AS UNITED & MADRID
FALL BEHIND IN RACE FOR €75M
STRIKER
By Sam Lee
Having already signed Ilkay Gundogan from Borussia
Dortmund, the Citizens have now begun discussions
with the Bundesliga outfit regarding a move for the
Gabon international
Manchester City are in talks to sign Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund, Goal
understands.
City have stolen a march on rivals Manchester
United, as well as Real Madrid, in the race for the
sought-after striker during talks in recent days.
Dortmund, emboldened by the level of interest from
Europe's biggest clubs, are holding out for a fee of
€75 million, which at around £58.5 milllion would
come close to matching the £54m plus £5m in add-
ons that City paid Wolfsburg for Kevin De Bruyne last
summer.
The Etihad Stadium hierarchy have committed to a
significant overhaul of the playing squad ahead of
Pep Guardiola's official arrival at the start of July,
and have identified Aubameyang, who scored 39
goals in all competitions last season, as a key target
and are willing to get a deal over the line.
Although City had coveted Dortmund's Ilkay
Gundogan for some time, and a deal was virtually in
place long before it was confirmed last week, they
have only recently made their move for Aubameyang.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool had also enquired
about Aubameyang's availability in the first half of
2016, while United were willing to match any offer
for the Gabon international, who recently pulled out
of international duty to resolve his future.
Aubameyang himself has talked up a move to Spain,
and specifically Real Madrid, but he is also open to
playing in the Premier League.
It is thought the striker's head has been turned by
the prospect of working with Guardiola and becoming
part of a new project at the Etihad Stadium.
City's transfer plans are evolving rapidly. Gundogan
became the first signing of the Guardiola era at the
beginning of June, and there is still interest in
long-term centre-back targets John Stones and
Aymeric Laporte, who could cost more than £70m
combined.
Interest in Paul Pogba and Toni Kroos has been
dropped over the past several weeks, while a move
for Jack Wilshere is also thought to be unlikely.
But with City also still in the hunt for speedy
Schalke winger Leroy Sane, among a number of other
targets, the club are ready to lay down a marker in
the summer transfer window.
That would provide a huge confidence boost ahead
of the official unveiling of Guardiola, details of
which the club revealed on Tuesday.
The doors of the City Football Academy training
complex will be thrown open to supporters across the
weekend of July 2 and 3, with the new badge
design and home kit due to be formally revealed on
the Saturday.
Tickets for the second day of the event, when
Guardiola will take to the stage to directly address
supporters, sold out within a matter of hours
TALKS AS UNITED & MADRID
FALL BEHIND IN RACE FOR €75M
STRIKER
By Sam Lee
Having already signed Ilkay Gundogan from Borussia
Dortmund, the Citizens have now begun discussions
with the Bundesliga outfit regarding a move for the
Gabon international
Manchester City are in talks to sign Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund, Goal
understands.
City have stolen a march on rivals Manchester
United, as well as Real Madrid, in the race for the
sought-after striker during talks in recent days.
Dortmund, emboldened by the level of interest from
Europe's biggest clubs, are holding out for a fee of
€75 million, which at around £58.5 milllion would
come close to matching the £54m plus £5m in add-
ons that City paid Wolfsburg for Kevin De Bruyne last
summer.
The Etihad Stadium hierarchy have committed to a
significant overhaul of the playing squad ahead of
Pep Guardiola's official arrival at the start of July,
and have identified Aubameyang, who scored 39
goals in all competitions last season, as a key target
and are willing to get a deal over the line.
Although City had coveted Dortmund's Ilkay
Gundogan for some time, and a deal was virtually in
place long before it was confirmed last week, they
have only recently made their move for Aubameyang.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool had also enquired
about Aubameyang's availability in the first half of
2016, while United were willing to match any offer
for the Gabon international, who recently pulled out
of international duty to resolve his future.
Aubameyang himself has talked up a move to Spain,
and specifically Real Madrid, but he is also open to
playing in the Premier League.
It is thought the striker's head has been turned by
the prospect of working with Guardiola and becoming
part of a new project at the Etihad Stadium.
City's transfer plans are evolving rapidly. Gundogan
became the first signing of the Guardiola era at the
beginning of June, and there is still interest in
long-term centre-back targets John Stones and
Aymeric Laporte, who could cost more than £70m
combined.
Interest in Paul Pogba and Toni Kroos has been
dropped over the past several weeks, while a move
for Jack Wilshere is also thought to be unlikely.
But with City also still in the hunt for speedy
Schalke winger Leroy Sane, among a number of other
targets, the club are ready to lay down a marker in
the summer transfer window.
That would provide a huge confidence boost ahead
of the official unveiling of Guardiola, details of
which the club revealed on Tuesday.
The doors of the City Football Academy training
complex will be thrown open to supporters across the
weekend of July 2 and 3, with the new badge
design and home kit due to be formally revealed on
the Saturday.
Tickets for the second day of the event, when
Guardiola will take to the stage to directly address
supporters, sold out within a matter of hours
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