Manchester City are interested in signing Sporting Lisbon left-back Nuno Mendes, reports Fabrizio Romano. However, City are unwilling to pay the full €50 million price tag that Sporting have set on the 19-year-old, leaving the race wide open.
Nuno Mendes of Interest to Manchester City
Manchester City are interested in signing Nuno Mendes. He’s considered a top left back for the future – but City board have no intention to pay full €50m price tag to Sporting. 🔵🇵🇹 #MCFC
Sporting are not accepting any proposal around €30m, as of today. Race still open.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 19, 2021
Problem Position
Left-back has long been a position that City have struggled to adequately fill, despite the rest of their squad being stacked with expensive talent.
Benjamin Mendy was supposed to be the big name to finally end those problems, but his consistent injury issues have led to Oleksandr Zinchenko, previously a midfielder, making the position his own.
Of course, with such a young talent as Mendes, there can be no guarantee that he will come good either, particularly in the short term.
However, he is considered to be one of the top players for the future, as suggested by the price that Sporting have put on him.
City have no intention of paying the full €50 million and Sporting are not willing to do business anywhere around €30 million, Romano reports – so there is certainly some negotiating still to do over the fee before the deal progresses any further.
Harry Kane Latest
City also continue to hold an interest in Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.
The Telegraph’s Matt Law has reported that some of Kane’s England teammates believe he could not return to pre-season training at Spurs in a bid to force a move to City.
However, both Fabio Paratci, Spurs’ director of football, and their head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, have stood firm on the rumours, saying that Kane is their player and that will not change.
Espirito Santo said: “Harry is our player, period. “No need to talk about anything else. Now is the moment for Harry to recover his energy, to rest. When he comes again we will have time to speak. We will have good conversations, but now is the moment for Harry to rest and to prepare for what’s coming. And I’m looking forward to him joining the group and starting working together.”
Main Photo
