Manchester City are now ready to make a move for Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez, according to a recent report from The Sun.
Who are Manchester City signing this summer?
Man City are actively searching for a replacement for Mahrez at the moment, and they have recently been linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, with Pep Guardiola believed to be a huge fan of the 20-year-old.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently given an overview of two other players on the Citizens' list of targets, saying:
"They have to replace Riyad Mahrez and I expect Man City to go for a winger in the final weeks. There are for sure two players in the list, Michael Olise is one of them and they really like him, nothing has been decided yet.
"Jeremy Doku is appreciated by City as well. Let’s see who is the third name, at the moment it is not clear."
Olise has a release clause of just £35m included in his Crystal Palace contract, but City are likely to face competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Chelsea, with Romano also naming the Blues as potential suitors.
According to a report from The Sun, Mitoma is now also emerging as a target for the Sky Blues, with Guardiola ready to raid Brighton for the Japan international, who the manager is believed to be a big fan of.
The 26-year-old has two years left on his Brighton contract, but he is yet to put pen to paper on a new five-year deal, potentially opening the door for a move to the Etihad Stadium this summer.
During Man City's pre-season tour of the Far East, the winger, who is valued at £50m, was singled out for praise by Guardiola, who said:
"Well, I would say the impact of [Kaoru] Mitoma on the Premier League has been incredible.
"He is in the right place with the right manager and his last season was extraordinary.
"And look at what Japan have done in the World Cup in a tough, tough group."
How good is Kaoru Mitoma?
Not only has the Japanese forward been hailed by Guardiola, but he has also received praise from members of the media, with Brighton podcaster Ryan Adsett lauding him as a "remarkable footballer" back in March.
The former Kawasaki Frontale man had a fantastic 2022/23 campaign with Brighton, registering ten goals and eight assists in all competitions, five more goal contributions than Olise amassed for Crystal Palace.
There are indications that the Brighton star could be an upgrade on Mahrez in some areas, having averaged more non-penalty goals, successful take-ons and progressive carries per 90 than the Algerian over the course of the past year,
The £10k-per-week ace also displays far more of a willingness to pitch in with the defensive side of the game, ranking in the 75th percentile for tackles and the 71st percentile for interceptions in the same timeframe.
£50m is a huge asking price for Mitoma, given that last year was his breakthrough season in the Premier League, but there are plenty of indications that he could be a great signing for Man City.
