Man City want Liverpool, Man Utd target as Koulibaly alternative

Sevilla’s Diego Carlos has emerged as the latest defensive target for Manchester City as they look to improve their squad, according to reports.

Pep Guardiola wants to bolster his defensive ranks ahead of the new Premier League season to cut the gap with Liverpool. He has already added Nathan Ake from Bournemouth, but wants another option to start alongside Aymeric Laporte.

To date, his main target has been Kalidou Koulibaly. The Napoli defender is one of the best players in the world in his position, but negotiations are not easy.

FEATURE: Top ten Premier League virgins we are most excited to see

Napoli claim City do not want to contact them directly because they are still bitter about Jorginho moving to Chelsea from the Serie A side two years ago.

However, reports over the weekend suggested this could be a critical few days if City want to make a new offer for the Senegal international.

Now, Sport claim that City are not willing to meet the €85m asking price for Koulibaly. That’s because it would not be a worthwhile investment for a 29-year-old.

Therefore, they have switched focus to other targets. The report claims that Sevilla’s Diego Carlos is now firmly on their wishlist.

Carlos has been linked with a move to Liverpool or Manchester United recently. The Brazilian had a positive season with Sevilla, leading to victory in the Europa League, but the Spanish club could cash in on him.

According to Sport, City are now considering a bid for the 27-year-old. They know he is in his prime, so would instantly improve their defence.

However, first they must reduce the asking price. Carlos has a release clause of €70m, which City are not willing to pay.