With the need to improve the attack to support Erling Haaland, Man City is targeting a young striker who is playing extremely impressively in the Bundesliga.

What’s the latest Man City transfer news

Manchester City has been seriously considering Rennes winger Doku as a potential replacement for Riyad Mahrez, as Pep Guardiola faces a shortage of players in wide positions. They have also been linked with a move for West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta.

According to talkSPORT, the 25-year-old Paqueta has expressed interest in a move to the Etihad Stadium. French football journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi has reported that City has already made a bid totaling €95 million (£81 million) for him. However, City’s pursuit of the Brazil international has been temporarily halted due to investigations by the FA and FIFA into a betting-related matter. This situation may lead City to explore other options.

Romano has now provided an overview of potential alternatives for City in place of Paqueta. He mentioned that Olmo and Doku remain as options, but securing a deal for the latter player is expected to be more straightforward.

The transfer expert stated:

“City is pursuing a different player for that position because the Paqueta situation is complex. Let’s see if City will attempt to sign Dani Olmo. Their primary target had always been Lucas Paqueta, but some individuals within the board have also appreciated Dani Olmo. Currently, Leipzig is firm on not selling the player, but we will see if City can find an alternative solution and how they will respond.

“Jeremy Doku remains another target for Manchester City. They have held positive discussions with Rennes from the player’s side. However, before finalizing any agreement, they want to ensure that there won’t be significant resistance from the player’s side.”

What Dani Olmo could do?

Regarding Dani Olmo’s abilities, he is an impressive dribbler, ranking in the 90th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 among his positional peers over the past year. He has already had a strong start to the season, scoring four goals in his first two games, including a hat-trick in the DFL-Supercup against Bayern Munich while playing on the left side of midfield.

Former RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has hailed the Spain international as “outstanding”, while also adding:

“The Bundesliga has a higher pace than the Croatian league, so it takes some time to adjust physically. But he was extremely hard-working, won the ball a lot of times and defended very robustly,”

“He has exceptional abilities and is very safe with the ball. When he gets put under pressure, he knows how to provoke a foul.”

Olmo is highly versatile and can also play on the opposite flank, making him a potentially suitable replacement for Mahrez, who often featured in that area for Guardiola’s team. Former RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has praised the Spain international as “outstanding.” However, Leipzig’s reluctance to sell him presents a hurdle that City must navigate to secure a deal.