Pep Guardiola Makes Personal Request For Manchester City To Sign La Liga Superstar

If fate had its way, then João Felix could well have become a Manchester City player back in the summer of 2019.

Back in January of this year, a leaked conversation surfaced in which the diminutive forward’s super agent, Jorge Mendes had gone on to voice his preference for his client making a switch to City as opposed to his eventual and current destination of Atletico Madrid.

“The best thing for João Félix is to move to Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola. It will be the most expensive transfer in the history of Portuguese football”, he stated, as revealed by Portuguese newspaper Record.

While the prodigious youngster ended up joining Diego Simeone’s side for a staggering £113 million, he has continued to be speculated with a move to the Etihad Stadium.

So much so that there were several reports that indicated that the former Benfica talisman was Manchester City’s alternative to number one transfer target Erling Haaland, before the Borussia Dortmund superstar ultimately swapped yellow for sky blue last month.

Joao Felix in action for Atletico Madrid. Sipa US / Alamy

As the 22-year old Portugal international never ceases to be linked with an exit from the Spanish capital, Manchester City’s name has been thrown into the hat once again.

According to the latest information provided by journalist Bruno Andrade, Pep Guardiola ‘wants’ João Félix at Manchester City in the summer, as the club have planned the arrival of yet another big-name arrival aside from Erling Haaland.

However, it is also claimed that any possible transfer depends on the departures of fellow attacking duo, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling. Bruno Andrade mentions that City’s intention would be to reinforce their attacking depth and most importantly, adhere to Financial Fair Play regulations.

Despite Joao Felix’s failure to justify Atletico Madrid’s whopping outlay that made him the fourth most expensive player of all time, the second half of the 2021/22 season has seen the youngster remind the critics of why the Spanish side took such a leap of faith in the first place.

Joao Felix in action for Atletico Madrid. Action Plus Sports Images / Alamy

The Portuguese international’s inspired display against Manchester United is the perfect example of this redemption arc, as he was quite simply the best player on the pitch over the course of both legs.

While some may believe that the silky attacker fits the bill of Pep Guardiola’s favoured false nine position, it is worth noting that Manchester City already have two new strikers lined up in Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.

The former is classed as one of, if not the best striker in world football while Alvarez’s ability to operate out wide makes him the ideal replacement for the potentially outgoing Jesus.

With Felix not profiling as a winger unlike Raheem Sterling, who may be headed to Chelsea ahead of the new season, it is highly unlikely he could even come in as a potential successor — deeming the transfer highly unlikely.

Raheem Sterling of Manchester City. (Alamy)

However, Manchester City will be hoping that their interest in the likes of Brighton’s Marc Cucurella and Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips end up materialising.

On the subject of the former, the understanding in some quarters is that City have already agreed personal terms with the player, meaning a transfer fee is all that separates them from a new addition at full-back.

As for the latter, Leeds United are braced for a significant bid from the Etihad Stadium in the next few days, as City look to take on Phillips prior to the club's pre-season tour of the United States.

Aiming to bolster areas such as left-back and defensive midfield, it’s safe to say that the club’s focus is set to remain on the pair rather than the Atletico Madrid forward at present despite the latter being a situation to keep one eye on.