Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his wish to sign more of English players this summer and he has his eyes on three Tottenham Hotspur players. Danny Rose, Kyle Walker and Dele Alli, who have all gotten Guardiola’s commendation, are topping the club list of players to sign, with Guardiola willing to sign more country men.
Guardiola is thought to have told his football director, Txiki Begiristain, he wishes to make English players his top priority as the current squad contains just three players who are native to England, but is aware they would come at a price slightly higher than they are used to.
According to reports by Manchester Evening News, City wants to shake up Tottenham’s squad by making an offer for three of their players, with Rose and Walker the top target.
The club are said to be willing to cough up £40m for Rose but the 26-year old would possibly cost more than that with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy well known for being a severe negotiator.
Guardiola hopes to bring in Walker, another top priority for City, to solve the problem they’ve had on the flanks this season but the Full-back seems content at White Hart Lane saying “Tottenham until I die” in a live Q&A session on Instagram.
City would very much like to get their hands on Dele Alli but the possibility that his asking price will be too exorbitant has put a dent in their hope of signing the 20-year-old midfielder.
Guardiola conveyed he is not against spending huge sum to acquire young talents, after having paid £47.5m for John Stones in the summer of 2016.
The Spanish tactician believes England has lot of young players who could challenge the golden generation which includes the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand.
“From my experience in Spain and Germany and now here, you cannot imagine how good the young players here are,” he said.
“Like I could not imagine the generation of Lampard, Carrick, Scholes, Terry, Gerrard, Ferdinand, they had the talent to do something more.
“As a spectator, I don’t understand. For example, compare it with Spain who always talk about the generation of Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, (Sergio) Busquets.
“Those English players are of the same level. So you ask yourself, why not? Walker, Rose, Alli, (Eric) Dier, John Stones, Raheem, they are top.
“The quality is there and they have the quality at U19 and U21 too. The talent is there, I have no doubts about that. They need to make that step.”