Manchester City are edging closer to the signing of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, but a recent report has suggested that would make any move for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane very difficult this summer.
What's the word?
Grealish and Kane have emerged as Pep Guardiola's two top targets for the Citizens this summer and the former looks close to completing a move to the Etihad in a deal worth around £100m.
However, Manchester Evening News journalist Liam Corless has claimed that the deal for the Villa captain could see City end their interest in Kane, unless they are able to raise a significant amount of money through player sales between now and the end of the window.
As Spurs will likely demand well in excess of £100m for their talismanic striker, with chairman Daniel Levy clearly keen to keep him in North London, it simply isn't financially viable for Manchester City to bring him in as well as Grealish in the same transfer window without significant sales.
A blow for Guardiola?
It seems baffling that City are seemingly prioritising a move for Grealish over the £108m-rated Kane when you consider the options that Guardiola currently has in their respective positions.
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Whilst the Spanish manager can boast talents such as Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez on the wing, he has just Gabriel Jesus available as a senior striker in his squad following Sergio Aguero's exit earlier in the summer.
Although the Citizens were sensational at times last season, they lacked a clinical striker on a number of occasions towards the end of the season and were punished by Chelsea in the FA Cup and Champions League, so signing a world-class talent such as Kane should really have been City's priority ahead of the new season.
The 28-year-old striker is clearly keen on a move , with reports earlier today claiming that he has failed to turn up for training at Tottenham Hotspur but if City do complete a move for Grealish, it seems as if they will have to sell a number of first-team options before even considering a bid for the England captain.
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City fans certainly won't be happy with this update, as they too will surely have been hoping to sign a clinical striker this summer, and now it seems as if a deal for Kane is going to be very difficult for the Citizens to complete and if they are to sign him, they may need to cash in on another star player.
And, in other news... Imagine him and Foden: Txiki can secure City's future with swoop for "very strong" 18 y/o