Blues to act fast with window shopping

TXIKI Begiristain is confident City will be able to make the changes they need in the transfer window despite a lack of time.

The club’s director of football is spearheading recruitment in what is a vital summer for the Blues after they surrendered their Premier League crown to Liverpool, finishing 18 points behind Jurgen Klopp’s team even if they were almost as far clear of third place.

City plans are already underway, and have been boosted by the club being cleared to play in European competitions next season.

M.E.N. Sport has reported a shortlist of names drawn up as well as some enquiries that have already been made, while a number of players in the current squad are facing uncertain futures.

Participation in this season’s Champions League looks to be a further complication for City’s chances of getting their business done this summer, with the Blues hoping to be involved in the latter rounds - as will targets including Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly in the break between domestic campaigns.

But with the transfer window remaining open until October 5, Begiristain is confident that there will be time for City to make the necessary changes both incoming and outgoing to make sure the squad is better for next season.

“We are working a lot, we have to be ready,” he told the club site. “It will be a strange window because people have to move fast, we have to bring players who can improve our squad but also it means that maybe someone can leave.

“It will be strange also because we have the Champions League so we have to wait to move forward until the Champions League is finished. We might have less time than ever but we’ll have time to make the changes we need to improve the squad.”