Pep Guardiola plotting mega triple transfer raid

MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola is plotting a summer spending spree of £160m that will see him make three new signings.

Posted Friday, December 22, 2017 by Dailystar.co.uk

Guardiola has targeted Alexis Sanchez, Virgil Van Dijk and Sergio Busquets as he looks to make City the dominant force in European football.

Guardiola has met with Etihad bosses to discuss his plans and given them the list of targets he wants.

He told them he wanted a new striker, centre back and defensive midfielder to replace Yay Toure, who will be leaving the club in June.

The Spanish boss has been interested in signing Sanchez since replacing Manuel Pellegrini as boss in 2016.

He came close to landing the Arsenal superstar in the summer, but the deal fell through at the last minute when the Gunners failed to get a replacement in.

But Sanchez is now running down his contract at the Emirates with a view to joining City at the end of the season.

It is understood Sanchez has made it clear to Etihad bosses he wants to join them and personal terms have already been agreed in principle.

City are willing to hand the Chile ace a mega deal worth more than £60m over five seasons.

Starsport understands Guardiola is in no rush to sign Sanchez in next month's transfer window because he doesn't want to risk upsetting the balance of a team that is storming to the title and sweeping all before them.

Guardiola has also set his sights on luring unsettled Southampton ace Van Dijk to the Etihad.

The Holland international wanted to join Liverpool in the summer, but the move collapsed amid huge acrimony and embarrassment.

The Reds were forced to apologise after admitting making an illegal approach and despite the fact Van Dijk handed in a transfer request, he was forced to remain with the Saints.

City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak is desperate to avoid a repeat of the fiasco, but is quietly confident of landing the centre-back in a deal worth around £50m.

Guardiola is also plotting a shock raid on former club Barcelona for Spanish international Busquets.

Guardiola regards the 29-year-old as the ideal replacement for Toure and is hoping to land him in a £50m deal.

He gave Busquets his Barca debut and between them the pair went on to win two Champions League titles and four La Liga crowns during their time together at the Nou Camp.