It’s something when you hear Manchester City – a club with riches in the whole state behind it – can not afford a player.
After teasing us with the suggestion that he may not want to replace Sergio Aguero at all this summer, Pep Guardiola has now claimed that the strikes he had hoped to recruit were simply too expensive.
City’s quest for Tottenham’s forward Harry Kane has been common knowledge for some time, while Dortmund hotshot Erling Haaland is also rumored to be on their summer wish list.
With the couple’s respective clubs no doubt paying high fees probably in excess of £ 120 million, 90min has been looking at the “ cheaper ” options for City this summer.
Danny Ings May Be Available This Summer / Robin Jones / Getty Images
Southampton striker Danny Ings may not be the most glamorous name on this list, but when you consider that he has scored 34 goals in his last 67 Premier League matches and he plays for a team that will not offer him nearby of as many chances as City could, should really be an option.
The former Liverpool man recently turned down a new deal on the south coast so that it could be available for a fee, and at just 28 years old he can still have the best football of his career ahead of him.
Alexander Isak looks for star star / Soccrates Images / Getty Images
Alexander Isak has dared in La Liga with Real Sociedad in recent seasons, and with Borussia Dortmund reportedly not interested in exercising their buy-back clause, he should be on every big club’s summer wish list.
The young Swedish international was one of the most exciting players to watch at Euro 2020 before his team’s elimination, and with a release clause rumored to be worth € 70 million (£ 60 million), he is hardly cheap but compared to Haaland and Kane. he is a find.
Isaac’s ability and physical dexterity mean that he can perform almost any role you ask him to and at just 21 years old he is destined to become an even bigger star.
Gerard Moreno is a regular goal scorer in La Liga / Michael Sohn – Pool / Getty Images
Gerard Moreno has scored goals all his career, but the last two seasons have really seen him take his step.
The Villarreal man has scored as many as 50 goals in 83 games in all competitions and at 29 he looks to be playing the best football of his career.
His profile will certainly have increased after Villarreal’s Europa League victory and his appearances at Euro 2020, but he would be a relatively cheap option for Guardiola and there are plenty of Spanish teammates in the city squad who can help him settle down.
City can benefit from Inter’s financial worries / Pedro Vilela / Getty Images
Lautaro Martinez is probably closer to Kane and Haaland’s price range than most of the players on this list, but given Inter’s financial difficulties, it is not excluded that City could acquire a relatively good deal.
It seems completely absurd that the Serie A champions would sell one of their valuable assets, but given that they would still have Romelu Lukaku and they have just sold one of the best wingers in the world in Achraf Hakimi to try to generate funds, who vet?
Andrea Belotti could be another option for City / Silvia Lore / Getty Images
Andrea Belotti’s strike frequency during his time in Turin is incredible, given that he hardly leads the line for a Champions League team.
Many big clubs have sniffed around the Italian international over the years, but so far Torino have managed to keep their captain.
At the age of 27, they know that it will not be too many more years before his valuation begins to fall, and they may be tempted to abolish the company if the right offer comes in this summer.
Jonathan David sees a top perspective / DENIS CHARLET / Getty Images
Christophe Galtier’s departure from Lille after their incredible Ligue 1 triumph has led many to speculate on whether the club can lose some of their key players this summer as well.
Jonathan David undoubtedly falls into that category after the kid hit double figures in his first season in France.
The 21-year-old may not have any eye-catching stats from any of the other forwards on this list, but he has bags of potential and his versatility is definitely something that will appeal to Guardiola.
Wout Weghorst has scored points for fun in the Bundesliga / Christian Kaspar-Bartke / Getty Images
Let’s be honest, take a look at Wout Weghorst and you immediately think to yourself ‘he is not a Guardiola player’, but he is so much more than just a big lump of a center-forward.
His touch and stay play is central to Wolfsburg’s style of play and his goal scoring record is fantastic for a man who offers so much more than just goals.
Weghorst has 53 goals in 100 Bundesliga matches since moving to Germany, and although he will not be cheap, he will not be close to the charges Guardiola appears to have been quoted as early as this summer.
Antoine Griezmann may be available for relatively cheap / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
This is a real wild card, but bring it with us.
Antoine Griezmann has barely lit up the world since he moved to Barcelona two years ago, but it’s easy to forget what a fantastic player he can be in his day.
Like Inter, Barcelona are in financial trouble, the only difference being that Barça’s problems are ten times worse. The La Liga giants have already been told that they can not register any of their summer signings because they have exceeded the league’s salary cap and therefore departures are a must.
If they can not whip enough of their wingers, some of the high-income earners will have to leave and Griezmann is definitely one of them.
