CITY CLOSE IN ON DIAS DEAL
CITY will bring to an end their prolonged pursuit of a centre-back when Ruben Dias is confirmed as their new record signing in the coming days.
After balking at Harry Maguire’s valuation last summer, and deciding that Kalidou Koulibaly and Jose Gimenez were too expensive and
Jules Kounde too green this year, the Blues have agreed to pay £65.2m to make Dias the successor to Vincent Kompany.
And while his arrival has a sense of the right deal for this window - crucially with Nicolas Otamendi heading the other way for £13.7m - the club are convinced after monitoring him for more than two years that he has everything Pep Guardiola wants.
Dias has previously attracted the attention of United, Arsenal and both deals can be announced. Juventus among others and there With their centre-back search was considerable interest from City finally over, the Blues must weigh up last summer as talks with Leicester whether Guardiola’s squad needs over Maguire hit a brick wall. But further strengthening before the then there was more of a pressing window shuts on October 5 after a need for a homegrown player with damaging 5-2 home defeat to their allocation of foreign players Leicester in their second Premier already full. League game of the season.
Without that hindrance this year, But the Blues are expected to Dias, Koulibaly, Gimenez and wrap up their transfer window activity Kounde could all be considered to once Dias is done. belatedly improve the defence. They arguably still need a midfielder
Despite the even greater need to to have two players for every sign a centre-back, City still refused position, and would act if an opportunity to budge on the valuations that they presented itself, but are not held for Koulibaly and Gimenez and actively pursuing any more targets neither did Napoli nor Atletico at the moment. respectively. They still have a slot in their overseas
That left Dias and Kounde, and quota, with David Silva and 23-year-old Dias is seen as a more Nicolas Otamendi leaving while established bet and better fit. A new Dias and Nathan Ake - who qualifies contract he signed at Benfica had as home-grown - replace them, and upped his release clause to £80m, Ferran Torres does not count as he but City have managed to pay a is still under 21. lower rate - and considerably lower If it stays that way, it will be good than they would have done for news for 18-year-old Tommy Doyle, their other targets - by including who recently signed a new five-year Otamendi in the deal. The Argentine has to pass a medical before
deal and impressed in the Carabao
Cup win over Bournemouth last week, despite it being his first game for six months.
The youngster has shown himself able to play in three different positions, and is set to be the sixth midfielder, in the absence of a surprise signing.
With the addition of Benfica star Dias, balanced out by the departure of Otamendi in the opposite direction, the Blues have five centrebacks - three right-footed and two left-footed - plus Fernandinho, who can operate there and in midfield.
But Eric Garcia could still leave, with Barcelona hoping City will drop their asking price before Monday’s deadline.
The Blues have a dilemma - if they keep him, he is likely to be second or even third fiddle, and will lose him for nothing next summer. Selling him now would be sensible.
The noise around John Stones’ future has calmed down, especially after his performance against Wolves last week, and the Yorkshireman is expected to stay.
That means a decision will be taken shortly on whether teenager Taylor Harwood-Bellis would benefit more from staying with the firstteam squad or going out on loan.
Tosin Adarabioyo and Philippe Sandler were both earmarked for another season on loan, but with plenty of interest around him, and the City first team as far away as it was three years ago, 23-year-old Adarabioyo is understood to be considering a permanent move, with several Premier League clubs interested.
Sandler has been struggling with an ankle injury, so any decision on his future has been deferred, while City are again expected to loan out Patrick Roberts and Claudio Gomes.