Manchester City have reportedly joined neighbours Manchester United in their pursuit of Valencia teen sensation Carlos Soler.
Spanish publication Deporte Valenciano have claimed that Manchester City are interested in Carlos Soler. Manchester United have also reportedly been monitoring the Valencia youngster, and it seems they now face competition in the form of their neighbouring rivals.
Carlos Soler is a local boy who joined Valencia at the age of eight primarily as a striker, but has since been developed as a midfielder. The talent made the grade into the senior squad at the Mestalla, with six senior appearances under his belt so far this season, three of those coming in La Liga.
Soler turned 20 this month, and with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Soler could be on the move. His current contract has a buyout clause of €8 million, which is set to shoot up to €30 million if and when he makes a few more senior appearances for the Spanish outfit.
Born on beIN: Carlos Soler, Valencia’s Shining Light https://t.co/Ax5FTLoVCU pic.twitter.com/st6AACgvq5
— Ɗανιd ?? (@David_s_sh) January 18, 2017
Soler is regarded as one of the best up and coming talents in the region and has created much hype at Valencia. The fact that he is a local boy has also played a part. The player is thought to be a long-term target for Jose Mourinho, who has sent scouts to monitor the player’s progress.
The latest reports state Manchester City are also showing interest in the 20-year-old. The club director of football Txiki Begiristain met with Valencia chief Jose Ramon Alesanco earlier in the week, and Soler was reportedly one of the topics on the agenda.
The Manchester duo would ideally like to do business before his release clause shoots up to the aforementioned amount. But the player has less than six months left on his deal, which may bring the price down irrespective of the release clause in his contract.
Soler plays in central midfield, and it is an area where both clubs are looking to recruit. United have sold Schneiderlin to Everton already and are looking for a long-term replacement for Carrick. City, on the other hand, are also looking to find a long-term replacement for Yaya Toure.
The player does present a viable option for both the sides. And given the new update, City seem to have moved ahead of United in the race to sign Soler.
