Manchester City are interested in signing the Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but would have to pay in the region of £55m for the Gabon international. The forward, who scored 36 goals for the Bundesliga club last season, would consider a move to join up with Pep Guardiola at City despite interest from Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Aubameyang, 26, has four years left on his contract after signing an extension at Dortmund last year, and has recently talked up a move to Real Madrid but is also keen to play in the Premier League. He could become another high-profile signing from Dortmund for Guardiola, who sanctioned a deal for Ilkay Gundogan from the same club last week.

Guardiola is keen to revamp a squad which disappointed last season and made it clear to City’s sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, that the goalscorer was high on his wishlist.

Wilfried Bony is likely to depart the Etihad Stadium and there is a desire to bring in another front man to take the pressure off Sergio Agüero. The Dortmund manager, Thomas Tuchel, recently warned off clubs after the player was linked with Madrid.

“Everybody has to accept he has a long-term contract without the possibility to step out,” Tuchel said. “Auba signed his contract because he feels good here. He feels that he can still develop and still grow. I can imagine a lot of clubs see his performance, his talent and his personality and can imagine Auba plays for them.

“But we have our own goals. We want to keep this squad together and develop into something extraordinary. We want to have players that lift our status.”

(Guardian service)