FAMILIAR FACE COULD SOLVE MIDFIELD VOID

LAVIA'S BUY-BACK CLAUSE WILL HELP BLUES

-  DANIEL MURPHY

THERE don't seem to be many obvious midfield targets for City at the moment.

City moved quickly to at least get another player in following the departure of Ilkay Gundogan.

Mateo Kovacic may not be seen as a direct replacement by the club but he has taken the No.8 and is in a similar dynamic, classy mould as the former captain.

With Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva (for now), John Stones, Kalvin Phillips, Rico Lewis, Cole Palmer, James McAtee and probably even Jack Grealish at a push all capable of playing various midfield roles, Pep Guardiola still has plenty of options in the crucial area - but the club was keen to strengthen further.

A massive £95million bid was lodged for West Ham talisman Declan Rice but when Arsenal raised their own offer to £ 105 million in response, City bowed out of the running.

Since then it's gone all quiet on the midfield front. Only highly-rated Celta Vigo playmaker Gabri Veiga has been linked but the youngster looks to play more of an attacking role than the all-action, box-to box, ball-winning, tempo-setting job Gundogan did to perfection.

Instead, the Blues have turned their attention elsewhere.

Centre-back Josko Gvardiol is now the top target as the club looks to complete a deal.