City are also being touted as possible suitors for two other high-profile defensive reinforcements in Monday’s media round-up.
And there’s also reflections on a successful but highly controversial World Cup last 16 victory by England’s Lionessses.
But we begin on the transfer front with a claim by the Daily Mirror that City could be closing in on a potential imminent deal to sign central defensive star Maguire from Leicester.
The Mirror’s David Anderson alleges: “Harry Maguire is set to seal a world-record £80million switch to Manchester City this week.
“Maguire is ready to join City ahead of neighbours and rivals Manchester United in a world-record transfer for a defender, which is expected to top the £75million Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk.
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“Maguire, 26, signed a new five-year deal with Leicester last September when United failed to prise from him the King Power Stadium and he was not looking to move.
“But he has told friends that the offer from the Treble winners is too good to turn down and City boss Pep Guardiola believes he can land him in a club-record deal ahead of United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“United refuse to give up on Maguire and Solskjaer is pushing hard to land his top centre-half target.
“Guardiola sees Maguire as the ideal successor to skipper Vincent Kompany, who quit City at the end of the season to return home to Belgium to take over as player-manager at Anderlecht.
“Maguire is ambitious and feels City will give him the chance to win trophies and fulfil his ambition of playing in the Champions League.”
Meanwhile, City have again being linked as a possible destination for Napoli and Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly after the central defender refused to rule out leaving the Serie A club this summer.
Goal.com reports: “The 28-year-old defender is reportedly being courted by the Premier League champions after his impressive performances for the Partenopei last season
“Kalidou Koulibaly has refused to rule out a summer exit from Napoli, as rumours of interest from the Premier League continue to swirl.
“Manchester City are the latest club to be linked with a move for the Senegal centre-back, who refused to rule out a possible exit from the San Paolo when questioned on his future by Goal.
“I don’t know (if I’ll still be at Napoli), I think so,” the defender began, following his side’s 2-0 victory over Tanzania in their Africa Cup of Nations opener on Sunday, “but I have to play the Afcon and then after that I’ll go back to Napoli.
“I don’t want to talk about my future today, I prefer to talk about Senegal,” the former Genk stopper continued.
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“I’m relaxed, I want to focus on the Afcon and after that return to Napoli and we’ll see what happens.”
Meanwhile, metro.co.uk claims that City have been put on alert following confirmation that veteran Brazilian defender Dani Alves is to leave Paris St Germain.
Metro.co.uk scribes: “The 36-year-old is leaving PSG after two years at the club and has not confirmed his next destination just yet, but he has made no secret of his desire to play in England.
“Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all made approaches for the right-back in the past and both Manchester clubs could attempt to sign him again this summer. City boss Pep Guardiola came close to signing Alves two years ago, but he chose to move to Paris instead.
“The Premier League champions may be tempted to have another go at signing him, while United could turn to the veteran if they miss out on Aaron Wan-Bissaka.”
Finally, Ellen White’s lethal finishing instincts were hailed by the Daily Telegraph amongst others after the new City striker scored her fourth goal of the World Cup finals in England’s 3-0 last-16 win over Cameroon.
The game was overshadowed by two remarkable protests from the Cameroon side after VAR decisions went against them.
But the Telegraph’s Katie Whyatt instead focused on another fine performance by White, who officially joins City on July 1, writing: “Typically clinical when called upon and another well-taken finish moved her to her fourth goal in four World Cup games.
“Celebration does not lend itself to being curtailed by VAR.”
