Micah Richards has named his dream Manchester City signings for the upcoming summer transfer window.
Speaking in his BBC Sport column, the ex-City defender says the club should target a centre forward, with Sergio Aguero leaving upon his contract expiry at the end of June.
City boss Pep Guardiola has often set up his teams without a striker this season, with Phil Foden or Kevin De Bruyne operating in the most advanced central position, but Richards believes that there will be times when they need an out and out striker.
His dream signing – were money not to be an object – is Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe.
Richards explained: “If money were no object and I could sign anyone, available or not, I’d get Kylian Mbappe.
“Mbappe hogs the left touchline a lot but he can also play as a regular number nine and, wherever he starts out on the pitch, you just know he is going to get behind the opposition defence and hurt them.
“I watch him and think he would be the missing piece of the jigsaw for City.
“Sign him now, at the age of 22, and they would dominate for as long as they wanted to, I’ve no doubt about that.”
Richards offers alternative striker option & Premier League star
Richards added that Mbappe likely isn’t a realistic option this summer. It is reported that PSG have offered him a new four-year contract at the Parc des Princes, with the Frenchman to make a decision over his future after the European Championships.
The BBC pundit, however, suggested an alternative – Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.
“At 20, Haaland is even younger than Mbappe but the reason he is so exciting is not because of his potential – it’s because he is already guaranteed to get you goals,” he said.
Although Richards believes that Haaland isn’t yet “the finished article” as a player, he added that it was his finishing ability that sets him apart.
He explained: “He is just so potent in front of goal. City still waste too many chances in games, but that wouldn’t happen if they fell to him.
“You get the feeling he is available too, despite being under contract at Dortmund.
“If City went all out to sign Haaland, I reckon a deal could happen. Like Mbappe, though, he would not come cheap.”
Richards’ third dream signing is former Aston Villa team-mate Jack Grealish.
The 25-year-old has been linked with city rivals Manchester United in recent transfer windows, and his agent Jonathan Barnett said earlier in the month said that “many clubs” were interested in signing him.
Richards said: “You could put Jack in City’s front three on the left, right or as a false nine – or further back in midfield – anywhere, really, and he would be immense.
“He was absolutely brilliant for Villa this season before injuries sidelined him but I think he would go to the next level at City.
“If they signed him, their fans would soon be thinking ‘why didn’t we get him earlier?’ because he would give them something different, even with the top quality players they already have in those positions.”
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