Manchester City are not looking to rest on their laurels ahead of a season where they defend three major trophies.
The Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League were all won last season to complete a stunning treble, yet Pep Guardiola will want to do it all again.
With this in mind, the club have been linked with a move for Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich during the summer transfer window.
How much does Joshua Kimmich earn?
According to 90min, City have done the ground work on a potential move for the versatile Bayern gem, as they consider their options should Bernando Silva depart the Etihad this summer.
The Portuguese midfielder is being tracked by both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, with Guardiola placing a valuation of £75m on his head, which may be enough to deter potential suitors.
Kimmich – who earns £300k-per-week for the Bundesliga side – looks to have emerged as a candidate who could perhaps replace the former AS Monaco star.
Will Manchester City sign Joshua Kimmich?
The Germany international has played under the Spaniard before, during his spell as Bayern boss between 2013-2016, and thus he will know all about his qualities, while the former Barcelona manager could replicate his Ilkay Gundogan masterclass by signing the 28-year-old.
Upon arriving in Manchester, Gundogan was signed from Borussia Dortmund and became an integral part of a side which has since dominated England. Across his 304 games for City, he registered 100 goal contributions – 60 goals and 40 assists – while winning 12 major honours in the process.
The 2022/23 campaign was arguably his finest at the club, scoring twice in the FA Cup final against Manchester United, but he left to join Barcelona for a fresh challenge this summer.
Kimmich could certainly fill the void in what would be a similar move to Gundogan's, trading German shores for the dizzy heights of the Premier League.
The biggest plus point to Guardiola would be his immense versatility, as he is able to slot in at right-back or in the centre of midfield with Jose Mourinho having previously lauded his adaptability, saying: “I see him as a top right-back, left-back, centre-back, No.6, No.8, No.10… he has the qualities to be anything!
"I think he looks to me, very intelligent related to football, very intelligent, understands the moments of the games and understands the difference between positions and understands what he has to do here and what he has to do there. I think he’s phenomenal, an absolutely phenomenal player."
The 28-year-old can also pose a solid attacking threat. He ranked in the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 (9.87) compared to positional peers, while also ranking in the top 4% for shot-creating actions (4.35) and assists (0.22) per 90, showcasing his ability to push forward as often as possible and contribute heavily to the attack.
In contrast, Gundogan managed to rank in the top 20% for progressive passes (6.61) and assists (0.16) and the top 17% for shot-creating actions (3.36) per 90, showing that Kimmich could perhaps be an upgrade on the former Dortmund starlet.
With Silva edging closer to the exit door, it would make sense to secure a move for Kimmich this summer, especially as he appears to be at the peak of his powers.