Manchester City are intensifying efforts to revamp their midfield ahead of the 2025–26 campaign, with Barcelona’s Dani Olmo now emerging as a prime target. With Kevin De Bruyne confirmed to leave at the end of June, Pep Guardiola is looking to reshape his creative ranks with a modern, dynamic number 10—and Olmo fits the bill.
According to transfer expert Matteo Moretto, Guardiola is “keeping an eye on and dreaming of” the Spanish international, whom he views as the perfect link between midfield and attack. Club officials, led by Hugo Viana and Txiki Begiristain, are determined to land a playmaker capable of crafting opportunities, connecting the team’s build-up phases, and providing goals himself.
Post-De Bruyne City Demand Creativity and Versatility
Manchester City’s need for attacking creativity has become more urgent following a lacklustre 2024–25 season. The club lost their Premier League crown to Liverpool and suffered a shock exit from the UEFA Champions League before the last 16—a first since 2012.
While injuries to key players like Rodri and Oscar Bobb disrupted rhythm and consistency, many believe the root cause was a stagnating midfield struggling to match the energy and intensity of younger opposition. With De Bruyne’s departure on the horizon, Guardiola’s rebuild is now focused on reinjecting energy, creativity, and positional flexibility into the heart of his team.
Dani Olmo, 26, is seen as an ideal solution. He combines flair with work rate and has experience in both La Liga and European competitions. A graduate of La Masia and a key figure for the Spanish national team, Olmo’s intelligence and attacking output would be a huge boost for a City side seeking to reassert dominance.
Barcelona Value Olmo, But Financial Pressure Could Open Door
Despite Manchester City’s admiration, Barcelona remain firm on their stance—Olmo is “not for sale” at this stage. The Catalan giants consider the attacker one of their most valuable assets, especially with ongoing efforts to rebuild their own squad around homegrown talent.
However, financial constraints and previous difficulties in registering player contracts may force Barcelona’s hand. According to journalist Toni Juanmarti, City already inquired about Olmo during the January transfer window when the Blaugrana were facing registration issues. That interest is expected to be revisited more seriously in the coming months.
With Olmo’s profile matching City’s vision of a “modern number 10”, and with Pep Guardiola’s long-standing connections to Barcelona, this could evolve into one of the summer’s most intriguing transfer sagas.
Conclusion: City’s Creative Reboot Could Begin with Dani Olmo
As Manchester City prepare to bid farewell to one of their all-time greats in Kevin De Bruyne, the search for his successor has now led them to Dani Olmo. With technical quality, creativity, and positional intelligence, the Spanish international is everything Guardiola wants in a modern attacking midfielder.
While prying him away from Barcelona won’t be easy, Manchester City’s intent is clear—they are ready to reshape their squad and return to the top of European football. If they succeed in luring Olmo to the Etihad, it could mark the beginning of a bold new era.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
