Man City eyeing "swashbuckling" £12.5m starlet, could be Guardiola’s next Walker - opinion

Pep Guardiola and co have managed to assemble a formidable outfit in recent seasons, although never one to rest on his laurels, the 51-year-old is seemingly ready to go big again in the upcoming transfer window to further improve his Manchester City side.

While all the headlines at present have tended to focus on the increasingly likely arrival of Borussia Dortmund’s highly-sought sensation Erling Haaland, it would appear that the reigning Premier League champions are also keen to strengthen in other departments.

That’s according to recent reports, with Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg suggesting that the club are among those interested in Nottingham Forest loanee Djed Spence, with the 21-year-old believed to be available for roughly €12-15m (£10-12.5m).

Plettenberg did also insist that it is the £2.25m-rated starlet’s “dream” to play for rivals Manchester United, although Guardiola’s side may be able to steal a march on their neighbours owing to the ongoing turmoil that has consumed Old Trafford.

Amid all the Haaland frenzy, recruiting an upcoming youngster who is yet to taste top-flight football may not seem a priority, although in Spence the Etihad outfit could well have a real talent on their hands, should they pluck the Englishman from parent club Middlesbrough this summer.

The attacking right-back – whose existing deal expires in 2024 – could also potentially represent a long-term heir to the club’s current incumbent Kyle Walker, with the 31-year-old perhaps unlikely to be able to remain at the real elite level for too much longer.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man’s searing pace has proven a vital asset for both club and country – he was dubbed “utterly brilliant” by Gary Lineker last year – yet the