Transfer Rumour: Manchester City to make a move for Dani Alves in the summer
What's the story?
Pep Guardiola has now settled into life in the Premier League and has started work on identifying players to target in the summer. Defending has been the weak link of Manchester City in all competitions this season and Guardiola has decided to sign a number of defensive reinforcements.
Also Read: Dani Alves claims Real Madrid played dirty under Jose Mourinho
His former player at FC Barcelona, Dani Alves is reported to be a summer target for Manchester City according to the Daily Mail. The report suggests that the Brazilian wants to have a taste of the Premier League before calling it a day and thinks City can be the perfect last stop in his illustrious career.
In case you didn't know...
The Manchester City manager was planning a move for the full-back in January itself but Alves suffered a crack in his lower leg in November which forced the Brazilian to be out of action for two months.
There were rumours of friendly conversations between the player and City, with Alves having a good relationship with Guardiola and director of football, Txiki Begiristain. The injury put a halt to City's advances last month but the club are set to bid for him in the summer.
The heart of the matter
The likes of Aleksandr Kolarov, Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta have failed to impress the City manager this season and the same report says that Guardiola wants to buy two full-backs in the summer, with Dani Alves being one of them.
Also Read: Dani Alves says Barcelona have no idea how to treat their players
The Juventus player's wages are said to be a roadblock for a deal in the summer as Alves wants at least £120,000 per week which City think is too much for a player turning 34 in May. Along with Manchester City, many Chinese clubs and MLS sides are also interested in the right-back who can offer him his desired monetary demands.
What's next?
Guardiola believes that four more summer signings will make City a force to reckon with to win the Premier League and challenge in the Champions League. Arsenal's Hector Bellerin is another defender on City's radar with the Barcelona product looking for a new club next season if manager Arsene Wenger decides to leave.
Sportskeeda's Take
A move to Juventus has not yielded regular playing time for Dani Alves and at the end of his career, he needs to play regularly to make the most of his final few seasons.
A Premier League title could be the cherry on the top of a magnificent career for the Brazilian, who has won numerous trophies, and a reunion with his former manager could be the best way to bow out of football.