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Manchester City May Need To Break Virgil Van Dijk Record To Sign Ben Chilwell

Manchester City May Need To Break Virgil Van Dijk Record To Sign Ben Chilwell

One of Pep Guardiola's top targets for next season is the Leicester City left back but Brendan Rodgers won't let him go cheap.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Pep Guardiola doesn't squirm away from paying big money for full backs and the Manchester City man might have to break a world record transfer fee to sign Leicester City's Ben Chilwell in the summer.

It's easy to forget after last season's record breaking Premier League title season but, in his first season in England's top tier, Pep Guardiola initially struggled.

After moving from Bayern Munich, with a lot of expectation on his shoulders, Guardiola could only help City finish third in the Premier League and they won no silverware as the former Barcelona manager came under a lot of criticism.

There were questions whether the manager could play his 'tiki-taka' style in England but the biggest issue for Guardiola seemed to be the fullbacks with Aleksandar Kolarov, Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta the most often used players in those positions.

The following summer Pep went out and spent big on Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Danilo and it led to their Premier League winning run- such is the system's reliance of full backs.

Now Guardiola could have to spend big once again. According to the Telegraph, Leicester City will ask for more than the £75 million record fee for a defender that Liverpool spent on Virgil van Dijk for City to sign left back Ben Chilwell.

Chilwell has been excellent for Leicester. Image: PA Images
Chilwell has been excellent for Leicester. Image: PA Images

The 22 year old is highly rated and one of City's top targets in the summer but his deal at the King Power Stadium is till 2024 so the club don't have to sell.

Brendan Rodgers wants to keep the player and the Foxes have a history of being stubborn when it comes to keeping players as with Harry Maguire.

City's current transfer record is Riyad Mahrez who they signed for £60 million from Leicester last summer but they'd certainly have to beat that and Van Dijk's world record move from Southampton to Liverpool in 2018 to get Chilwell.

City would have to break Van Dijk's record. Image: PA Images
City would have to break Van Dijk's record. Image: PA Images

The Premier League champions have had to make do without Benjamin Mendy on a couple of occasions due to injuries and the young English full back would compete with the Frenchman to be in Guardiola's first XI.

It's likely the Spaniard will also add a central midfielder to his squad to compete with Fernandinho.

Who should City sign in the summer?


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Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

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@Sidler28