After a busy January transfer window where Manchester City spent around £120 million on new signings, the club might now shift focus to managing their squad by offloading some players.
City welcomed three new faces, with the standout being Omar Marmoush from Frankfurt, alongside the promising young defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.
This influx of talent means the door is now ajar for certain players to depart, including a forward who has previously received praise from Pep Guardiola.
According to Florian Plettenberg, Bayer Leverkusen are actively pursuing a deal for Manchester City’s James McAtee. The Bundesliga champions have initiated direct negotiations with City and have tabled an initial offer for a loan with an option to buy.
The signing of Omar Marmoush appears to have influenced City’s willingness to let McAtee go, as the young forward has only started twice this season and is seeking regular playing time.
Guardiola hopes this isn’t a repeat of the situation with Cole Palmer, where another highly-touted academy player was allowed to leave. McAtee was part of a notable City Academy group that also featured Morgan Rogers, Palmer, Liam Delap, Romeo Lavia, and Jadon Sancho.
Guardiola has previously spoken very highly of the 22-year-old, telling the media after his hat-trick against Salford City: “He’s an exceptional guy and he has a special talent. When he plays close to the opposition, he has an incredible sense of goal. His work ethic is unbelievable and he is aggressive.”
The midfielder has scored five goals for City this season, so it’s no surprise that a major club like Leverkusen is interested in him.
Could Manchester City’s next move in the market be coming together?
Manchester City have already brought in three new players this transfer window – Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis. However, it seems their spending spree isn’t over yet. Adding a full-back and another midfielder could make this a near-perfect transfer window for the world champions. There’s now talk that Juventus might be willing to lower their asking price for Andrea Cambiaso, which could hint at City’s next transfer target.
According to Michel Sakr’s report from JuventusNews24 via JuveFc.com, Juventus has reduced their price tag for the versatile full-back Andrea Cambiaso. It’s suggested that Manchester City might make an offer in the range of €60-65 million. The sale could help Juventus either strengthen their team or manage their finances better.
Looking at Manchester City’s full-back positions, there’s a clear opportunity for Cambiaso. At right-back, Pep Guardiola has been using Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis. Nunes has demonstrated his capability in recent matches, while Lewis, who started the season brightly, has seen a dip in form. Cambiaso could offer a high-quality alternative to both.
Similarly, at left-back, Josko Gvardiol has been a regular, but Cambiaso’s versatility to play on either side could be a valuable asset for Guardiola. If Manchester City can secure Cambiaso in the coming days, he might prove to be a wise investment.
With Juventus potentially dropping their asking price, Manchester City seem poised to make a move for Cambiaso. This potential transfer is something to keep an eye on in the next few days, as based on Sakr’s report, City could be close to signing a player who would significantly enhance Guardiola’s squad.
