According to Don Balon, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants £174.4m to sign his ‘ideal player’ this summer – Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets. The Spanish international is a ‘top priority’ for the Sky Blues, but he might be hard to convince away from the Camp Nou.

Busquets has risen through the youth ranks to the Barcelona first-team and has gone on to make 474 appearances in all competitions. The 29-year-old has won six La Liga titles, four Copa Del Reys and three Champions Leagues, in addition to 10 other trophies.

He’s regarded as one of the best holding midfielders in Europe and could take up a sizable chunk of City’s transfer kitty. Yaya Toure is expected to leave this summer, Fernandinho is in the eve of his career and Ilkay Gundogan has struggled with injury problems. As a result, the Sky Blues need new midfield recruits.

Busquets would set them back around £174.4m and £180k-per-week in wages, let alone having the task of convincing him to leave his boyhood club. The Spaniard would certainly improve City’s midfield, but he might be difficult to attain.

This could be the last move of his career, so why would he leave the soon-to-be-champions for a new challenge in England

Stats from Transfermarkt.