Tonali says no, wants Spurs instead
Sandro Tonali has rejected a move to City. The Newcastle midfielder is pushing to join Tottenham instead, with Gianluca Di Marzio reporting Tonali is "adamant" he wants to play under Roberto De Zerbi (1). That stings. A top midfield target, gone to a rival, and City now have to look elsewhere.
Malo Gusto: City tell Chelsea the price is too high
City want Chelsea's right-back Malo Gusto but are unhappy with the asking price (2). Negotiations are not dead, but City have made their position clear, lower it or move on.
Bouaddi could become Maresca's right-back project
Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old Lille midfielder who ran the show for Morocco against Brazil at the World Cup, is on City's radar. Maresca sees him as a possible right-back conversion (3). Liverpool and PSG have also been linked, so City will need to move fast if they are serious.
A double blow for United on the way
City are close to completing a major signing that will hit Manchester United twice over. United also missed out on Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson (4). Details are still thin, but the deal is described as imminent and ground-breaking.
Fan reactions
The subreddit is a strange mix this week. One corner is following Laporta's public courting of Julián Álvarez, with a clip doing the rounds of the Barcelona president insisting they will not wait on Atlético Madrid's answer. Another thread is tracking England's World Cup last-16 tie against DR Congo, where Marc Guehi, Nico O'Reilly and James Trafford are all in the squad. And someone posted a cowboy hat on Erling Haaland. That is about where the mood is. See the full World Cup thread.
