Manchester City are “ready” to make their move for Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, according to The Sun.

The English tabloid claim that manager Pep Guardiola is a “fan” of the Japanese international, who is being targeted as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez.

Mitoma made his breakthrough with the Seagulls last season, scoring 10 goals and contributing 8 assists in 41 appearances.

The 26-year-old’s performances attracted the attention of other Premier League teams, including Chelsea and Arsenal, but it looks as though the treble winners are the ones likeliest to make a formal offer for the player.

City have just wrapped up a deal for Josko Gvardiol, signing him from RB Leipzig for £77m, but Guardiola has hinted that the club’s summer spending won’t end with the Croatian international.

Mitoma is not available on the cheap

Brighton are expected to demand around £50m for the Japanese star, which is a steep figure, considering he only has a year’s worth of experience in English football. However, the Seagulls are accustomed to getting what they want.

City pulled out of a deal for Marc Cucurella last year after refusing to match the defender’s asking price so we shall see how negotiations progress with Mitoma, as and when they get started.

Palmer’s future at City

After scoring an excellent goal in the Community Shield against Arsenal at the weekend, Cole Palmer has made a case for himself to play more matches this season.

Guardiola praised the winger after the game but he still didn’t rule out the player leaving the Etihad. The player wants to get regular minutes and he may still struggle to get that if he stays.

City’s interest in Mitoma does make a lot more sense in that context but it would be disappointing if a talented academy graduate like Palmer were to be offloaded this summer.