Manchester City are willing to spend a whopping £127m to sign a player who has been compared to Ronaldinho this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.
Man City transfer news
Pep Guardiola’s side are in ominous mood heading into Sunday’s mouthwatering Premier League clash with Liverpool, with the Cityzens primed to pick up their first win at Anfield in front of fans since way back in 2003.
While City’s squad is littered with world-class footballers from back to front, whether it be Ederson, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne or Erling Haaland, to name just a few, new signings are still to be expected in the summer, in order to retain a freshness within the group.
One report has claimed that Guardiola’s men are at the front of the queue to snap up Bayern Munich youngster Jamal Musiala, who may be eyeing a move to the Premier League at the end of the campaign. Liverpool are also believed to be in the mix to sign him, but City are confident of getting their man.
Aston Villa midfield Douglas Luiz is also seen as a target for the reigning Premier League and European champions this summer, with Guardiola a big admirer of the Brazilian, who has already enjoyed one spell at the Etihad in the past.
Man City want Ronaldinho-like star
According to a report from Spain [via Caught Offside], Manchester City want to sign Rafael Leao this summer, and are willing to splash out €150m (£127.8m) on the AC Milan superstar.
The report suggests that it could mean trouble for Jack Grealish, considering the Portuguese also adopts a left-sided attacking role, with injuries and patchy form affecting the former’s season.
Leao could be a spectacular signing by City in the summer window, considering what a magnificent player he has developed into, still having age on his side. Owen Hargreaves has even backed him to become “world-class” one day, also comparing him to Brazilian legend Ronaldinho.
“He’s Ronaldinho-vibes, sometimes, when he’s on it. I think to be world class, you’ve got to be consistent. Because he’s a bit flaky and a bit loose at times, he’s probably just missing that gap to world class, but the talent’s there to be world class.”
Leao vs. Grealish in the league this season | ||
|---|---|---|
Appearances | 24 | 14 |
Starts | 21 | 7 |
Goals | 4 | 3 |
Assists | 7 | 1 |
Dribbles per game | 2.0 | 1.0 |
Shots per game | 1.8 | 1.1 |
Key passes per game | 1.8 | 1.4 |
This season, Leao has registered 11 goal contributions (four goals and seven assists) in 21 Serie A starts, also netting three times in the Champions League and Europa League combined.
At 24, he isn’t yet at his peak either, and he does feel like an upgrade on Grealish, who turns 29 later this year and has never truly set the world alight at City, despite being an effective cog in the machine.
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Man City at the front of the queue to sign “exceptional” £80m-rated star
He could become one of the best players in the world.
Leao has a world-class ceiling if he can find consistency in his all-round game, and he couldn’t have a better manager than Guardiola when it comes to fine-tuning his talent, should he join City.
