Paper Round: Guardiola has £150m to spend; Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba on long list of targets

We open with the big one: the Telegraph’s breathless report on Guardiola’s appointment cites a long list of players he could seek to bring to City this summer. The most prominent is the world’s best player, Lionel Messi, of whom they say an incoming transfer is “not impossible.” The paper reports?:

The Telegraph continues: "City held talks last summer with Paul Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola and walked away from a bid because it was financially prohibitive but a move could be revived for the Juventus midfielder. Certainly City will feel that Guardiola’s arrival makes them a more attractive proposition to the very highest tier of player."

As well as noting that Guardiola will be paid £15m per season at City, the Guardian’s Manchester correspondent Jamie Jackson says Sheikh Mansour will give the new coach no less than £150m to spend in the summer. In a separate piece, the Guardian suggest five likely targets for Guardiola: Bayern playmaker Thiago Alcantara, Real Madrid left-back Marcelo, Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, Everton defender John Stones and Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho.

The Mail carries more detailed information about Guardiola’s likely transfer targets, putting price tags on two of Europe’s most valuable young players. According to the paper: “Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid will compete for former Manchester United midfielder Pogba, 22, who will leave Juventus at the end of the season and Stones, 21. City hope they can lure the pair with the chance to play for their new coach.”

The Sun say that Guardiola has kindly agreed not to pursue players at Bayern when he does leave the club in June, but if the German giants do open talks with Real Madrid over the sale of Robert Lewandowski, he will jump in as well and try and bring the Poland star to City for around £75m. According to the paper: “The Spanish giants are hot favourites to land the striker who has openly declared his desire to join Real on TV in Poland earlier this season. But City know that Guardiola, who coached Lewy in his last two years at Bayern, could prove a decisive factor in the 27-year-old frontman’s decision.”

The appointment of Guardiola will not just improve City from next season; the club also hope it will inspire the current crop of players to win the title this season too. Furthermore, reports the Indy, they expect the Catalan to attract some of the world’s best footballers. They mention Lewandwoski and Pogba, as well as Everton’s Ross Barkley and John Stones.