Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola to break long-standing transfer rule in bid to bring his former player to Man City in huge £100m deal

Pep Guardiola is poised to challenge a long-standing transfer policy as he attempts to secure a lucrative contract for one of his former players to join Manchester City. This potential move would mark a significant departure from Guardiola’s usual approach to transfers.

Manchester City recently celebrated another successful season, defending their league title to win the Premier League for a fourth consecutive year in the 2023-24 season. However, Guardiola understands that maintaining success at the highest level of football requires continuous improvement and evolution.

As he aims to lead City to an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title, Guardiola is looking to bolster his squad with new talent. He hopes that the club’s sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, can facilitate these crucial additions during the summer transfer window.

One of the key targets for City is Bayern Munich’s midfielder, Joshua Kimmich. Acquiring Kimmich, however, would necessitate Guardiola breaking a transfer policy he has adhered to throughout his career. Reports from HITC suggest that City is seeking to capitalize on Kimmich’s current dissatisfaction at Bayern, following a disappointing season that saw the club fail to secure any trophies.

Bayern Munich ended the season without silverware after Bayer Leverkusen broke their dominance in the Bundesliga. In the wake of this challenging season, Vincent Kompany, a former City captain, has taken over as head coach from Thomas Tuchel.

With Kimmich’s contract set to expire in the summer of 2021, both Manchester City and Barcelona are monitoring his situation closely, ready to make a move should Bayern decide to sell. Guardiola, who initially brought Kimmich to Bayern in 2015, greatly admires the German international for his versatility and tactical intelligence.

If Guardiola proceeds with the acquisition of Kimmich, it will mean overturning his self-imposed rule of not signing players from his former teams. This bold move underlines his commitment to continually strengthening his squad to maintain City’s dominance in English football.

Moreover, Guardiola’s connection with journalist Marti Perarnau, who had extensive access to him for a series of books on his coaching career, highlights the deep professional respect and admiration between the coach and those who have chronicled his career. This relationship further emphasizes Guardiola’s thoughtful approach to both football management and the broader narratives surrounding his career.