Talks held: Man City make contact to sign ‘phenomenal’ marquee star as last 48 hour news emerges

After securing a blockbuster agreement to sign Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland in the summer, the Sky Blues seemingly won’t stop there, with a new midfielder reportedly on the agenda.

Pep Guardiola wants to strengthen his options in the middle of the park, as club legend Fernandinho is set to draw the curtain on a nine-year stay in the Premier League.

The Brazil veteran, who is a major presence behind the scenes as well as on the pitch, will be a sore miss for Sky Blues, who are set to say goodbye to a faithful servant.

Barcelona midfielder De Jong is said to be a target for City, with Sport now sharing the latest.

According to the Spanish outlet, Guardiola’s side have held talks and made contact with the Catalan giants over signing their marquee midfielder, mainly to find out his asking price and whether Barcelona could be open to a swap deal.

The answer to the latter question is a resounding no, with club president Joan Laporta ‘only interested in money’ as he ‘marks the figure’ at a seismic €100m (£85m).

The Netherlands international has no shortage of pedigree, as evident by the fact that only Marc-André ter Stegen, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have played more minutes for Barcelona than De Jong this season (WhoScored).

Xavi’s faith in his midfield maestro is testament to the 25-year-old’s obvious quality, with the Dutchman also racking up one of the highest passing accuracies in the Barca squad in the current La Liga campaign (WhoScored).

Lauded as a ‘phenomenal’ player by former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell, these numbers and plaudits point to a star who could seriously strengthen Guardiola’s options for 2022/23.

However, for £85m, it is a move that Etihad Stadium officials must seriously consider, with