Manchester City expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has encouraged the Citizens to prioritise signing at least two "technically brilliant" midfielders in the summer transfer window.
After spending around £180m on four new signings in January, Man City will continue their much-needed squad rebuild in the summer, one to be led by incoming sporting director Hugo Viana who is expected to target younger players to address the age profile of Pep Guardiola's current squad.
A number of high-profile players could leave the club as part of City's "brutal" rebuild, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne - who is out of contract at the end of June - Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish, James McAtee, Ederson, John Stones and Nathan Ake among those who have been tipped to depart.
Midfield is a key area Man City are set to prioritise strengthening in the summer and a plethora of both defense and attack-minded players have been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium in recent months.
Discussing what profile of midfielder Man City should look to target, McInerney told Sports Mole: "I think City's main failings recently have been - not just the physicality, of course that plays into it - but mainly just a lack of true technicians. You think of Guardiola's very best sides, they can run, they can press.
"Of course, Kevin De Bruyne at his very peak is a box-to-box machine. People like Fernandinho would never stop running and even David Silva was a workhorse in midfield. These guys could run, but more than that, these guys are also technical geniuses. I think the true Guardiola sides at the very best, they can do just about everything and also everything with the ball at the same time.
"City don't need [to sign] three players who are 6ft 5in who can run through people all day, obviously that would really help, but I think largely they need to be of the technical standard that led to City achieving great things.
"I think City need to make sure they sign someone [that has] technical brilliance. As much as football has got more physical, I do agree with Guardiola that there's more runners these days.
"The only way City are going to be at their very best still is if they sign geniuses, so that's what I want. [Whether] they're a defensive midfielder [or an] attacking midfielder, I think City really need to make sure they're technically brilliant.
"I do think we need two midfielders. A central midfielder that is leaning towards the defensive side and a creative spark as well if Kevin De Bruyne leaves".
'Baleba's a name that immediately stands out'
McInerney believes that Man City should look to sign a new deep-lying midfielder who can play alongside either Rodri or Nico Gonzalez, and one name who he has been impressed by and who has been linked with the Citizens is Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba.
"The obvious one - [he would] cost an arm and a leg - but Carlos Baleba at Brighton seems to be the next breakout name," said McInerney.
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"Only 21 years old, Cameroon international, he's almost one of one in terms of the physicality in the Premier League. A good, strong, tall player but comfortable with both feet, relentless energy, good pace, technically really good as well.
"Baleba is the perfect modern take, I would say, maybe on someone like Fernandinho - he's not Fernandinho, not many people are, but he could be by the time he turns 28, [the age] Fernandinho joined Man City. Baleba could be absolutely elite and world class by then."
Out of 300 players aged 23 and under who have played at least 900 minutes in Europe's top-five leagues this season, Baleba is one of only three of those who averages one-plus for shots, progressive passes, progressive carries, tackles, interceptions, aerial duels won, successful take-ons and fouls drawn in 90 minutes (along with Conor Bradley and Elliot Anderson).
The highly-rated midfielder, who has excelled at Brighton since the departure of Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, has also been ranked in the top three by WhoScored.com for the most improved players in the Premier League this season.
"He's a name that immediately stands out for me," McInerney added. "Baleba is Premier League proven [and] seems to be getting better and better".
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Could "creative genius" Wirtz replace De Bruyne at Man City?
Amidst uncertainty over the future of legendary playmaker De Bruyne, Man City are believed to be one of several top European clubs interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, who may cost an "absurd" amount of money to prise him away from the reigning Bundesliga champions.
"The obvious name is Florian Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen," McInerney said when discussing possible attacking midfield targets. "There's some rumours that he might sign a new contract and he might not go (this summer) but it's been reasonably well-documented that City are interested in him.
"A creative genius, such an elegant footballer, glides past people like [Andrea] Iniesta, he's got incredible vision, just constantly creating goals and scoring goals as well at the same time since he broke through. He's been playing football for an awful long time despite only being 21.
"He would cost about £130m or something like that. He's going to [cost] an absurd amount of money, but he is that level of almost guaranteed genius technically. You do need someone who has the real high level of technical brilliance. A phenomenal player, but he could cost too much and there are some rumours that City wouldn't be his preferred choice."
Before turning 22 in May, Wirtz has already played 191 senior games for Leverkusen, recording 56 goals and 63 assists, while last season's Bundesliga Player of the Year has also found the net six times in 29 international appearances for Germany.
In addition, McInerney has picked out six other potential midfield targets for Man City, including Villarreal's Alex Baena, AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, while he has also explained why recruiting Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes may not be on the cards.
Press play on the video at the top of this article to hear the full discussion.
Oliver Thomas
