Alternatives for Declan Rice at City: Seven midfielders Guardiola is targeting

With Arsenal poised to land the England international, we take a look at which other players Pep Guardiola is likely to be targeting this transfer window.

Manchester City briefly dreamed of adding Declan Rice to their centre-back but ultimately decided they could not justify spending £105m to sign the player, with Arsenal poised to win one of the most desirable players on the market this summer.

City are one of the shrewdest clubs in the transfer market and part of the reason they have built such a formidable squad and won the treble last season is their ability to pull out of deals they are not comfortable making.

However, following the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona and with Pep Guardiola still unconvinced about Calvin Phillips, in addition to the risk of Bernardo Silva leaving, City are still very much on the hunt for a new midfielder even after the arrival of Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea.

Gabri Vega (Telta)

The Spanish midfielder only started playing for the Telta Vigo side last August but has quickly become one of the team's most influential players, scoring a stunning 11 goals and providing 4 assists, contributing to more than a third of the goals of the matchup with the weak side of the team.

He has been at the center of transfer rumors this summer and recently spent an entire press conference with the Spain national team answering questions about interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Guardiola is always wary of talented Spanish youngsters, and Vega fits all the criteria as he is always a threat to be reckoned with in the opposition net. He is within City's buying range as he has a £35m buyout clause and the club prefers to sign players with a buyout clause as they can avoid bidding war with other clubs who want to sign him.

Joao Palinha (Fulham)

The Portuguese international has had an impressive first season in the Premier League with Fulham and has integrated seamlessly into the nature of English football. He was the player with the most tackles in the league and was one of Marco Silva's most important players as the Cottagers finished 10th in their first season in the top flight.

Palinia also led Sporting Lisbon to the league title in 2020 and is known for his ability to direct play and create opportunities for his teammates.

Michel Merino (Real Sociedad)

Merino was heavily linked with a move to City last summer, and his value has risen even further after guiding Real Sociedad to Champions League qualification for the first time in ten years.

The Spain international has developed into a complete player after a brief spell in the Premier League with Newcastle and has become far more prolific, providing nine assists last season, his best performance to date. He also played a crucial role in Spain winning the UEFA Nations League.

His release clause has just been reduced to £51m and he turned down a move to Aston Villa in January. However, the pull of the Champions League champions may be too much to resist.

Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)

Goretzka has been one of Bayern's most consistent players over the past five years and his ability to play throughout midfield will surely appeal to Guardiola. The 28-year-old is most effective as a box-to-box centre-back, due to his energetic pressing and ability to link attack with defence.

Doesn't make frequent net "contact" but provides a threat to the attack with his advances into the area. Goretzka has seen his playing time reduced since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel, and while he has stated that he is determined to stay and fight for his place in the Bayern team, he would certainly relish the opportunity to work with Guardiola.

Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund)

City have made a number of purchases from Borussia Dortmund of late, and Bradt would be a logical next choice for them after leading their title push, which failed on the final weekend of the season.

The midfielder is more in the style of Kevin De Bruyne than Rice, but City could benefit by reducing the burden on the Belgian after the hamstring injury he suffered which led to his injury in the Champions League final .

Bradt is exactly the type of player City could need after Gundogan leaves. The Germany international can play behind the striker as a 10-man or as a winger in City's back three, and has been extremely prolific, scoring nine goals and providing eight assists last season.

Martin Zubimenti (Real Sociedad)

Another key player in Real Sociedad's remarkable run, Zubimenti has been compared to Sergio Busquets for his ability to read the game. He has already been linked with a move to Barcelona to replace Busquets, but his £51m release clause is a big hurdle for the cash-strapped Catalans.

The fee, however, would be far more reasonable for City, and the 24-year-old would be an upgrade on Phillips, which Guardiola has struggled to appreciate.

Martin Zubimenti (Real Sociedad)

Another key player in Real Sociedad's outstanding campaign, Zumbimedi has been compared to Sergio Busquets for his ability to read the game. Indeed, he has been linked with a move to Barcelona to replace the departing Busquets, but his £51m release clause is a major hurdle for the cash-strapped Catalans.

The fee, however, would be far more reasonable for City, and the 24-year-old would be an upgrade on Phillips, who Guardiola has struggled to value.