£45m defender has now snubbed Man City in favour of a move to Premier League rivals

It is a new dawn for Manchester City. A strange kind of silence has fallen over the Etihad Stadium as Pep Guardiola stares into the sky, arms wide open, full of questions. There’s no trophy to raise. No confetti to dance under. No loud cheers. Just the sound of a season gone wrong and a summer that promises to be stormy. After winning the Premier League four times in a row, something went missing in the 2024/25 season. A kind of spark, a kind of hunger, a kind of fire. And when City needed magic the most, it did not appear.

Pep Guardiola, one of the most brilliant minds in football, knows better than anyone that the price of staying on top is never resting. But last summer, Manchester City did just that. They took a deep breath after another league title, smiled at their past glory, and failed to prepare for the battles ahead. Now, after ending the season with zero trophies in their cabinet, the alarm bells are ringing. Loud and clear. There will be no resting this time.

The mission is clear now. Manchester City want to bring in four or five new faces. Serious players. Hungry players. Players with fire in their veins and thunder in their boots. Pep is especially focused on fixing the full-back positions—both the right and the left. He knows that the system he plays depends heavily on his full-backs being smart, quick, and fearless. He wants energy, intelligence, and players who can bring something different to the table.

One name that stood out on Pep’s wish list was Milos Kerkez, the 20-year-old Hungarian left-back from Bournemouth. Tough, fearless, quick with the ball and even quicker without it, Kerkez had shown enough this season to make Europe sit up and notice. With a market value of around £45 million, he was not going to come cheap. But Pep didn’t care. He saw something special in the young man. Something electric. Something powerful. Something City could build on.

Last week, the noise grew louder. Reports started to emerge that Manchester City were preparing a serious move for Kerkez. Sources said City were “genuine contenders.” But at the same time, there was a shadow lurking. That shadow wore red. It was Liverpool. City’s longtime rival. The kind of rivalry that does not fade with time but instead burns deeper with every game, every title race, every signing. And now, Pep Guardiola was about to feel that burn again.

Fabrizio Romano, the king of transfer news, broke the news on the morning of May 28th, 2025. The tweet hit like lightning: “Understand Milos Kerkez has already said yes to Liverpool project, no issues on personal terms. Club to club talks underway with Liverpool.” And just like that, the door slammed shut on Guardiola’s plans. The young Hungarian star had chosen Anfield over the Etihad. He had chosen Klopp over Pep. He had chosen red over blue.

Inside the Manchester City camp, the disappointment was deep. Not only had they missed out on one of the brightest young defenders in the Premier League, but they had lost him to a direct rival. A team that would fight tooth and nail against them next season. A team that would love nothing more than to see Guardiola suffer. Losing a transfer target always hurts. But losing him to Liverpool? That stings more than anything else.

Behind closed doors, Pep remained calm on the surface. But inside, his mind was racing. Who next? What next? Because one thing is sure—Nico O’Reilly will not be tried in the left-back role again next season. That experiment is over. City need someone who is ready. Someone tested. Someone fearless. Someone who can give them an edge in a season where nothing less than perfection will be enough.

There are names still on the list. And the one name that has never really gone away is Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus. The 24-year-old Italian has been on Guardiola’s radar since January. What makes Cambiaso special? He can play on both flanks. Right-back. Left-back. It doesn’t matter. He’s comfortable. He’s smooth. And most of all, he’s reliable. That kind of flexibility is something Guardiola absolutely loves. A player who can solve two problems in one body.

But Juventus are not a selling club. Not when it comes to their rising stars. City would have to come with serious money, serious persuasion, and serious intent. And with Liverpool already making moves, Pep knows there’s no time to waste. Every day counts. Every conversation with an agent matters. Every move now could decide how next season ends.

But Cambiaso is not the only name. Deep in the Midlands, there’s another storm brewing. His name is Rayan Ait-Nouri. The Algerian international has had a superb season at Wolves. Four goals. Seven assists. And performances that made even the top teams in England take notice. He is just 23 years old, but he plays with the maturity of someone who has seen everything. The way he dribbles, the way he crosses, the way he tracks back—it’s all top level.

Wolves know what they have. And they won’t let him go cheap. But Manchester City have the money. They always have. What they need is conviction. Ait-Nouri would not be just another signing. He would be a statement. A declaration that Manchester City are not afraid to fight for the best. A promise to the fans that the mistakes of last summer will not be repeated.

As the summer window opens, the city of Manchester holds its breath. The fans want to believe again. They want to feel the magic again. They want nights at the Etihad where the football flows like poetry. Where goals come like waves. Where trophies become a habit, not a memory. But for that to happen, the rebuilding must begin now. With precision. With fire. With no room for error.

Pep Guardiola knows the road ahead will be rough. The Premier League is no longer a playground. Arsenal are rising. Liverpool are hungry. Chelsea are rebuilding. Even Tottenham, with their new energy under Ange Postecoglou, are refusing to be ignored. There are no easy games. No easy points. No easy seasons.

The left-back position may seem like a small detail to some, but for Guardiola, it is everything. His system demands it. His tactics rely on it. From Cancelo to Zinchenko, from Mendy to Walker on the left—he has always needed something special there. But now, there is a gap. A hole. A wound that needs healing. And Milos Kerkez was supposed to be the answer. But now, that answer belongs to Liverpool.

In football, rejection can be the beginning of greatness. That is the mindset Guardiola must embrace. The fans will ask questions. The critics will write headlines. But Pep has faced storms before. And every time, he has come back stronger. This summer will be no different.

The Manchester City board have already promised full support. The funds are available. The scouts are watching. The agents are calling. The work has started. All that remains is finding the right man. The man who will wear that left-back jersey and bring back the hunger City lost last season. The man who will not just defend, but attack. Not just survive, but dominate.

It could be Andrea Cambiaso. It could be Rayan Ait-Nouri. Or maybe someone else entirely. Someone not yet on the radar. Someone preparing in silence. But whoever it is, they must be ready to walk into the pressure cooker that is Manchester City. They must be ready to win. Because failure is not an option anymore. Not for Pep. Not for the players. Not for the fans. Not after a season of watching others celebrate. Not after seeing rivals rise while they fell.

The story of Milos Kerkez choosing Liverpool over City is not just about a transfer. It is a reminder that even giants can fall. That even the best can be rejected. That even Pep Guardiola has to fight for what he wants. And fight he will. With everything he has. The fire is back in his eyes. The mission is clear. The war chest is open. And the hunt for the perfect left-back continues.