Numbers game for City’s new signings
JORGINHO and Riyad Mahrez are in line to complete their transfers to City this week.
Incoming Napoli man Jorginho, 26, looks likely to be handed the No.6 shirt at the Etihad, which is vacant following the departure of its last wearer, Brazilian midfielder Fernando, to Galatasaray last summer.
Jorginho wears No.8 at Napoli but that shirt number is already taken at City by Ilkay Gundogan.
Mahrez, meanwhile, could be in line to inherit the No.11 shirt.
City haven’t had a No.11 since Frenchman Samir Nasri was sold to Turkish club Antalyaspor last August.
Mahrez, 27, currently dons No.26 at Leicester and it is an option for him to keep that number as it is currently unoccupied at City.
The departing Yaya Toure’s No.42 shirt is also up for grabs, while numbers 15, 27 and 28 – respectively worn by Eliaquim Mangala, Patrick Roberts and Jason Denayer – are likely to become available over the next couple of months with all three players expected to leave.
Centre-back Mangala, 27, has a year left on his contract and City will look to offload him this summer, while 21-year-old attacker Roberts, who has spent the last two-and-ahalf years winning trophies while on loan at Celtic, could also leave.
Denayer, 22, spent last season at Galatasaray and the Turkish champions are keen to make the move permanent.
Inter Milan are also reported to be interested in acquiring the Belgian centre-back’s services.
Interestingly, City’s No.9 shirt remains vacant. It was given to Nolito upon his 2016 arrival but the Spaniard only lasted a season at the Etihad before returning to Spain with Sevilla 11 months ago.
City are still monitoring Paris Saint-Germain’s teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe and Chelsea winger Eden Hazard, so the No.9 jersey could go to one of those if City manage to convince either of them to move to Manchester this summer.
While the chances of the Blues landing Hazard or Mbappe remain slim, negotiations to sign Jorginho and Mahrez are at an advanced stage.
Jorginho is set to cost City around £45m, with the Italian’s agent scheduled to fly to Manchester in the coming days to conclude a deal for his client, despite Napoli saying they have turned down an initial approach from the Blues.
Mahrez, the Algerian winger who was the PFA Players’ Player of the Year two seasons ago, is expected to set City back around £60m.
That will make him the mostexpensive signing in the club’s history.
Aymeric Laporte, the French central defender, currently holds that title having joined the Blues for £57m from Athletic Bilbao in January.