Man City have a new transfer priority after losing out on Declan Rice to Arsenal

So Declan Rice won't be a Manchester City player next season, as he closes in on a record-breaking move to Arsenal.

City bid for Rice, but refused to match Arsenal's next offer which took the deal over £100m. City have a firm stance not to pay over the odds for any player, or to be dragged into bidding wars, and have walked away from huge deals in the past. Their approach to the Rice transfer suggests they will do it again, too.

When they have walked away, City have left key positions light on numbers - like when they wouldn't pay £80m for Harry Maguire, or £150m for Harry Kane, or £60m on Marc Cucurella. If they go into next season with their current midfield options, they will do. And they wouldn't even be worse off having brought in Mateo Kovacic for the outgoing Ilkay Gundogan.

Maybe a new midfielder does sign before the end of the transfer window, and City will conduct any remaining business with an eye on any departures. However, now the heat is off the boil a little when it comes to transfer, maybe another position will need attention.

ALSO READ: Guardiola's transfer market struggles could see City abandon width for good next season

If City take their current squad - with Kovacic replacing Gundogan - into the new season, it wouldn't be a disaster. However, there are doubts over the futures of Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo, as well as Aymeric Laporte in defence. Should either or both senior full-backs leave, City would be left with Rico Lewis and Sergio Gomez as their only recognised full-backs. And Gomez is currently showing at the U21 European Championships that his natural position is a winger.

RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol is an option in defence as Laporte is expected to leave, which would keep the