Manchester Evening News

Jorginho can fit right in at the Blues if Pep signs him

- By SIMON BAJKOWSKI simon.bajkowski@trinitymir­ror.com @spbajko

JORGINHO looks perfect for Pep Guardiola if City are able to sign the Napoli midfielder this summer.

The conductor of Maurizio Sarri’s orchestra at Napoli, the £50m-rated midfielder usually ends up with more touches and passes than anyone else as he dictates the play.

Liverpool, Arsenal and United are also among the teams credited with an interest and his performanc­es have attracted attention for years now.

Former great Italian player and manager Giovanni Trappatoni is a fan, having said: “He has brilliant feet, can play in various positions on the pitch and is very smart.

Last year Xabi Alonso said he was impressed by the player. He said: “I really like Jorginho, he’s not a well-known player but he’s perfect for Napoli. He’s always involved in the play, giving alternativ­es to his team-mates and great dynamism.”

And ex-Verona director Giovanni Galli said on the player’s developmen­t: “It takes a player of his proportion­s in the centre of the pitch. I brought him to Verona when I was director of football so I know him very well. He is smart, he knows his football and if I had to make a comparison to another of his ilk I would say [Andrea] Pirlo. He doesn’t have the same long ball ability as Pirlo, but the same football intelligen­ce.”

And Guardiola himself has been full of praise, saying: “Jorginho is marvellous, Napoli are great because they make so many short passes of three or four metres. If your passes are 10 metres or more, that’s not good. Any team that plays that many short passes is very dangerous and plays great football.”

 ??  ?? Mo Salah has had an impressive season for Liverpool
Mo Salah has had an impressive season for Liverpool

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