Back in December, Pep Guardiola expressed concerns about Manchester City’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League. This prediction might actually come true.
On Saturday, Manchester City suffered a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, marking their 15th loss in 30 games. In contrast, their previous 15 defeats were spread over a period of 169 matches in the last four years.
This recent form has caused them to drop to fifth place in the Premier League, only ahead of Newcastle on goal difference and just one point above Brighton, whom they are set to play at home this Saturday.
Therefore, Guardiola, along with the new sporting director Hugo Viana, will need to oversee a significant squad overhaul this summer. Could one of their targets be a highly-regarded midfielder known worldwide?
Manchester City Aiming to Sign Top Midfielder
According to Florian Plettenberg from Sky Sports Deutschland, Manchester City has placed Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga on their transfer shortlist. It’s noted that the French player is still undecided about making a move this summer.
This potential transfer aligns with Manchester City’s strategy of lowering the average age of their squad.
In January, as reported by Philip Buckingham of the Athletic, Manchester City spent £178 million on five new players, exceeding the combined spending of the other 19 Premier League clubs.
They signed Abdukodir Khusanov (21), Vitor Reis (19), Juma Bah (18), Nico González (23), and Omar Marmoush (26), while Kyle Walker, 34, moved to AC Milan. Other long-serving players in their 30s, such as John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne, are also rumored to be potential departures this summer.
Could Camavinga be the headline signing for Manchester City’s summer rebuild?
Camavinga’s Potential Role at Manchester City
Eduardo Camavinga, at just 22 years old, made a name for himself at Stade Rennais. He debuted for the club shortly after turning 16, becoming their youngest ever player. He was also recognized as man of the match in a 2-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain a few months later.
His impressive performances in 88 appearances for Rennes drew high praise, with Jacek Kulig from Football Talent Scout describing him as a ‘world-class talent’. He also gained international recognition, becoming France’s youngest senior goalscorer since 1914 when he scored against Ukraine in October 2020.
In 2021, Real Madrid acquired his services for a reported £34.4 million. Since then, he has made 171 appearances for Real Madrid, winning 11 major titles, including two La Liga titles and two Champions League titles.
Parshva Shah from Goal describes Camavinga as ‘defensively exceptional’. Philippe Auclair from the Guardian has noted that Camavinga is often used as a left-back, despite his manager Carlo Ancelotti stating that his preferred position is defensive midfield.
Despite recently signing a contract extension until 2029, reports in Spain suggest that Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez would consider offers for Camavinga, valuing him at €70 million (approximately £59 million), which could be considered a reasonable price.
Manchester City’s key midfielder Rodri recently returned to individual training. Guardiola hinted that the Spanish player might return to action this season, especially with the FIFA Club World Cup approaching in June and July, following an ACL injury in September.
How do Rodri and Camavinga compare, and could they form a successful midfield partnership?
Based on statistics, Rodri generally outperforms Camavinga in most metrics. However, Camavinga has recorded more tackles and is comparable in progressive carries, interceptions, and pass completion rates.
This indicates that Camavinga would likely adapt well to Guardiola’s possession-based style of play.
In conclusion, Camavinga would undoubtedly be a valuable addition to Manchester City. Statistics suggest he could be an ideal partner for Rodri, or at least a significant improvement over current options like Mateo Kovačić and İlkay Gündoğan.
Vihaan Mehrotra