Overview
- Manchester City identified Aleksandar Pavlović as their top central-midfield target earlier this year and were reportedly prepared to value a transfer at around €100 million, according to German reporting and transfer columnists.
- Pavlović declined the move and indicated he preferred to remain at Bayern Munich, a stance that led City to make no formal offer for the 22-year-old.
- Enzo Maresca, set to replace Pep Guardiola, is reported to have tried personally to recruit Pavlović but was unsuccessful, a claim sourced to media coverage in Germany.
- After Pavlović ruled out a transfer, City completed a summer midfield rebuild that brought in Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernández as replacements for departing players, with aggregated reporting putting their midfield outlay at a very high figure.
- Pavlović remains a Germany international and Bayern academy product with substantial first-team minutes last season, which helps explain his decision to stay and leaves open the possibility he could be a future target if City reassess their midfield options.