Manchester City have tabled a £55 million bid for Tottenham’s James Maddison as Pep Guardiola begins reshaping his midfield in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne’s impending departure, according to reports.
The reigning champions have endured a below-par campaign by their high standards, falling well adrift of Liverpool, who sealed the Premier League crown last weekend. City, 18 points adrift with just a handful of games remaining, are already plotting a response.
Central to Guardiola’s rebuild is the task of replacing De Bruyne, who announced last month that he will leave the club this summer after a glittering decade in Manchester. The Belgian maestro, who scored the winner against Wolves last Friday, leaves a sizeable void both on and off the pitch.
City’s hunt for a creative linchpin has led them to Maddison, with Spanish outlet Fichajes reporting that the club have submitted a €65m (£55m) offer to Spurs in a bid to lure the England international north.
Maddison, 27, has enjoyed a solid season in North London despite Tottenham’s inconsistencies and is seen by City as an ideal candidate to step into De Bruyne’s shoes. The report claims Guardiola’s side are determined to act quickly, aware that Maddison’s talents have attracted interest from across Europe.
Sources close to the Etihad say the bid sends a “clear message” about City’s intent to maintain their creative edge post-De Bruyne, with the club viewing Maddison as the man to continue their trademark brand of slick, incisive football.
The deal, if completed, would mark a significant statement of intent from City, who are facing a pivotal summer as they look to refresh and reassert their domestic dominance after a rare stumble.
City’s January window saw the arrivals of Omar Marmoush, Nico González, and Vitor Reis, but replacing a player of De Bruyne’s stature remains the top priority heading into the next phase of Guardiola’s project.
Whether Spurs are willing to part with Maddison remains to be seen, but City’s opening salvo underlines their determination to hit the ground running in what promises to be a defining summer of change at the Etihad.
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