Manchester City are reportedly set to make a last-ditch attempt to keep Brahim Diaz at the Etihad Stadium, amid interest from Real Madrid.
According to a report by The Sun, Manchester City are poised to make their final offer to keep hold of contract rebel Brahim Diaz. The 19-year-old is the subject of interest from Real Madrid, who are prepared to shell out a “gesture fee” worth £8 million to land the player in the January transfer window.
Diaz is a product of the fabled City Football Academy, and is widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in English football at the present moment. But, his talent hasn’t been complemented with regular minutes within the first-team setup, and there are concerns his frustrations could boil over.
Like Jadon Sancho before him, Manchester City now run the risk of losing Diaz on the cheap, especially with his contract at the Etihad running out at the end of the season. His situation has not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid one of the clubs who rate him very highly.
The Spanish heavyweights are set for a squad revamp of sorts over the next couple of transfer windows, with midfield being one of the areas that is set to receive attention. Luka Modric is on the wrong side of 30, while the future of Isco is up in the air, with Manchester City coincidentally one of the clubs after the Real Madrid superstar.
With Isco likely to depart from the Santiago Bernabeu and Mateo Kovacic likely to leave on a free transfer after returning from his Chelsea loan deal, signing someone like Brahim Diaz does make sense for Real Madrid.
The teenage prodigy fits Florentino Perez’s recent transfer policy of recruiting young Spaniards to create a core group of players that will serve Real Madrid well in the long-term future. The Manchester City contract rebel could also hone his skills and learn the ropes from a player like Modric.
But, Manchester City are set to make one final attempt to keep hold of the highly rated prospect, who has already rejected a deal worth £25,000 per week. The 19-year-old is seeking a £35,000-a-week contract, which is similar to the figure that Phil Foden is set to pocket, if he signs a renewal with the Premier League champions.
However, there are no guarantees that Diaz would still choose to stay put at Manchester City, with Real Madrid offering him more game time at the Bernabeu. Los Blancos are also set to make their move in the January transfer window, so as to avoid competition next summer, when he could be a free agent, and will also offer a “gesture fee” worth £8 million to the Citizens.
For now, Brahim Diaz’s future at Manchester City is hanging in the balance, with the Premier League champions desperate to keep him at the Etihad. It now remains to be seen if the Spaniard signs a new deal with the Citizens, or if he chooses a move to Real Madrid instead.
