Manchester City are considering a swoop for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, according to reports.
Pep Guardiola is keen to add a new striker to his squad this summer, with Sergio Aguero having joined Barcelona on a free transfer.
City played a false nine for much of last term, but they appear to be targeting a more conventional centre-forward ahead of next season.
Harry Kane and Erling Haaland have both been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium, but neither would come cheap.
Kane and Haaland are said to be valued at around £150m each by Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund respectively, and neither club wants to sell its prized asset this summer.
City may therefore need to shift their focus elsewhere, and the Daily Mail reports that they are beginning to monitor Lewandowski.
The Poland international has two years remaining on his contract with Bayern Munich.
And City believe that he could be obtainable in the coming weeks, as the German giants will not want to lose him for cut-price fee in 2022.
The report also notes that Julian Nagelsmann, the new Bayern manager, used a strikerless system for much of last season at RB Leipzig.
Even so, it is hard to see Nagelsmann shunning Lewandowski in the upcoming campaign.
The Pole broke Gerd Muller’s long-standing Bundesliga record by scoring 41 goals last time out.
And although Lewandowski would not cost £150m, Bayern will not be willing to let him go on the cheap.
Selling their star man would force the Bundesliga champions into the market for a replacement, which goes against Bayern’s well-thought-out approach to recruitment.
There is also the question of whether City would be prepared to spend big money on a player who turns 33 next month.
Nothing is impossible in football, but Lewandowski is likely to still be at Bayern next season. City’s search for a new centre-forward will continue.