Pep Guardiola may break a long-standing transfer policy to sign a lucrative contract with his former player for Manchester City.
If Manchester City makes a significant move, Guardiola could breach an established norm.
Guardiola’s team defended their league title to win the Premier League for the fourth consecutive year in 2023-24, marking another successful season for City.
However, Guardiola understands that standing still is equivalent to moving backward at the top level of football.
As the Catalan coach aims to lead City to an unprecedented fifth Premier League title in a row, he hopes that sporting director Txiki Begiristain can bring in new players this summer.
City is linked to Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich, but acquiring him would require Guardiola to break a transfer policy he strictly follows.
HITC reports that City is looking to capitalize on Kimmich’s unsettled status at Bayern after a disappointing season.
Following Bayer Leverkusen’s disruption of the Bundesliga, the German giants ended the season without a trophy. Vincent Kompany, a former City captain, replaced Thomas Tuchel as head coach.
With Kimmich’s contract expiring in the summer of 2021, City and Barcelona are monitoring the situation in case Bayern decides to sell this summer.
To sign Kimmich, Guardiola would have to go against his policy of not recruiting players from his former teams.
The 53-year-old, who brought Kimmich to Bayern in 2015, is a big fan of the Germany international, particularly for his versatility and tactical intelligence.
Guardiola’s friend, author Marti Perarnau, who had extensive access to him for a book series on his coaching career, notes this admiration.
