Guardiola ready to test Arsenal with £25m bid for Sanchez

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola. / AFP PHOTO / OLI SCARFF

Manchester City will make a decision over next few days whether to bid for Alexis Sanchez as Pep Guardiola eyes four new signings this month.

City are likely to test the water with a £25million bid but could bid as much as £35m, with Sanchez’s contract at Arsenal set to run out in six months’ time.

Guardiola will be more keen than ever to bolster his squad mid-season following Gabriel Jesus damaging his knee ligaments in the draw with Crystal Palace last Sunday.

With the Brazilian expected to face a second lengthy spell on the sidelines since his move to the Etihad a year ago, Sanchez has quickly risen to become City’s primary target.

The Premier League leaders have also made contact with Real Sociedad about the prospect of signing Inigo Martinez, who has a £28m release clause at the La Liga club.

Martinez is one of three defenders Guardiola has on his radar this month and he may look to revisit the option of signing Jonny Evans.
The West Brom centre back, however, is likely to cost more than Martinez, but is known to be admired by the City boss.

Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti, meanwhile, will set the Etihad club back almost £45m if he is to be prised away from the Nou Camp in this window.

The France international has missed the last three games through injury but has been a regular at the heart of the defence and is thought of highly in Catalonia.

Guardiola will be forced to fork out more serious money — following City’s £133m expenditure on three defenders last summer — if his back-line is to be further enforced.