The Citizens are in pursuit of one of Europe's top talents to fill the void left by their departed skipper.

Manchester City is reportedly ready to pip Barcelona to the signing of Ajax center back Matthijs de Ligt. The Premier League outfit has identified the Dutch defender as the potential successor of Vincent Kompany.

The 33-year-old Belgian announced on Sunday that he was leaving Pep Guardiola's side after 11 years of service to become a player-manager at Anderlecht on a three-year deal. Following Kompany's revelation, Pep Guardiola admitted that finding a replacement for his skipper - both on and off the field - will be quite difficult.

However, a report by Daily Mail suggests that the 48-year-old will look to fill the void left by beating his former side Barcelona to the signing of De Ligt. The 19-year-old defender is rumored to be nearing a switch to the Camp Nou outfit after leading Ajax to a domestic double and a Champions League semi final berth.

A twist to the story of his probable switch to Barca is said to be on the cards as the Spanish league champions are reportedly reluctant to match the player's agent's mammoth commision. As a result, De Ligt is said to be considering his options, one which involves a potential move to Manchester United.

The Daily Mail further claimed that Manchester City will turn its attention to Leicester's Harry Maguire, should the move for De Ligt fail to materialize. The 26-year-old is contracted to the Foxes until 2023 and, as a result, the Citizens may have to break the bank to secure his service.