Despite being in the midst of a serious investigation by the Premier League, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have reportedly drawn up a star-studded four-man shortlist of transfer targets to sign next.
While the Citizens are facing charges for more than 100 financial breaches off the pitch, they are currently in second position in the EPL, five points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
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Despite still being in the title race, the Manchester club has been heavily criticised for failing to produce the same level of consistency they had shown in past campaigns, with Guardiola's side having lost more league matches this season (four) than they did in the entire 2021/22 campaign (three).
To compound their misery, the future of the club remains a mystery until an independent commission reaches a verdict on the charges for their alleged financial breaches – a process that might only reach its conclusion at the end of this year.
As such, City are already planning to sign four big names in the next transfer window, according to Times Sport.
The four players in question are believed to be Ben Chilwell, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Rafael Leao.
Chelsea's Chilwell is said to be considered a direct replacement for Joao Cancelo following the Portuguese star's reported bust-up with Guardiola, with the fullback having joined Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of this season.
It appears unlikely the Spanish head coach will bring Cancelo back into the fold when he returns from Germany, while cover at left-back is definitely needed after Oleksandr Zinchenko left for Arsenal at the beginning of the campaign.
Borussia Dortmund's Bellingham, meanwhile, is a target for a number of European biggest sides in the coming off-season, and the chance to work with Guardiola could potentially tempt him away from the clutches of Liverpool, who are said to be the current favourites in the race for the Englishman's signature.
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Bellingham's England midfield partner Rice is another player who continues to be linked with City, and his arrival from West Ham United could be vital as reports suggest that Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva all want to leave the Etihad at the end of the campaign.
AC Milan star Leao's future has also been a hot topic in recent weeks, with reports suggesting that contract renewal talks between the Portugal star's camp and the Serie A giants have been brought to a halt amid a disagreement over a release clause.
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