Barcelona to swoop for Man City pair

Stuart Telford

• 9 Feb 2023 17:41 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona are planning to raid Manchester City for a pair of star players at the end of the season according to reports.

Barca's hands are currently tied, the Blaugrana having spent €150 million on Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde last summer before their group stage exit from this season's Champions League.

The Camp Nou club didn't sign any players during the January transfer window - although not for the want of trying in the case of LA Galaxy's Mexico right-back Julian Araujo - and La Liga have now instructed the Camp Nou club to slash their wage bill.

READ: FIFA rule against Barcelona's Araujo transfer appeal

But that doesn't stop the Spanish league leaders from planning for next summer, and two City stars in Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan are top of their transfer list.

City slapped a €100m price tag on Bernardo last summer and Pep Guardiola admitted at the time that he wouldn't stop the Portuguese midfielder from returning to the Iberian peninsula.

Pep: I won't stop Bernardo

"If he stays, it is perfect," he said. "In the end, if he has to leave, it is because football is like this; the player has a desire. I will not be a person to stop a someone's desire.

READ: Man City star Bernardo Silva's €50m offer

"When you are a player, it is so short; you don't realise and it's nearly over. The player will have to talk to the club and I have never ever been involved in that."

But City's bargaining position might not be so strong next summer. The English champions are currently charged with breaking more than 100 of the Premier League's financial rules, and there is an outside chance they will be banished from European competition.

At the least, further balancing of the books will be on their agenda.

Gundogan's transfer remains more likely, however. The Germany international is available on a free transfer next summer and he and his agent were spotted in a Barcelona restaurant recently.