Looking to strengthen his team after a disappointing season, Pep Guardiola is said to want Manchester City to sign a midfield player who delivered an outstanding performance against Liverpool.
Man City Transfer Targets
Manchester City have underperformed this season, falling from Premier League dominance and potentially missing out on a top four spot. Several factors have contributed to their struggles, including injuries and an aging squad, highlighting the need for significant changes.
Key players like Kevin De Bruyne are nearing the end of their time at City, and Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and even goalkeeper Ederson may soon follow, making a major squad overhaul necessary.
Following January signings like Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Juma Bah, and Omar Marmoush, the club is expected to be active in the summer transfer window to further strengthen the squad.
Reports from Spain suggest that Guardiola is personally pushing for Manchester City to sign Joao Neves this summer, aiming to resolve their midfield issues. The 20-year-old, who joined Paris Saint-Germain from Benfica for a reported £60m last summer, has emerged as a target for City.
Neves’s exceptional performance against Liverpool in the Champions League last 16 first leg tie will have further convinced City of his abilities.
Despite Liverpool securing a narrow victory with a late goal from Harvey Elliott, PSG’s dominant display, highlighted by Neves’s superb performance, deserved more.
Neves Could Be Transformative Signing for Man City
While Neves’s start at PSG was initially slow, along with the team’s overall form, he has since found his stride and been impressive. Against Liverpool, the young midfielder demonstrated his quality by winning over half of his tackles, making four ball recoveries, and winning 80% of his duels, effectively neutralizing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Described as ‘fantastic’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Neves’s level of performance at just 20 years old is remarkable. With immense potential for further development, he has a very bright future.
The potential partnership of Neves and Rodri in Manchester City’s midfield under Guardiola is an exciting prospect, but whether City will pursue this transfer remains to be seen.
Vihaan Mehrotra