Real Madrid reportedly appear to be in pole position to sign Real Betis star Junior Firpo, with Manchester City keeping a close eye on developments.
The Mirror report that Manchester City are keeping a keen eye on developments surrounding Real Betis star Junior Firpo. The player has been on the radar of the Citizens and Real Madrid for a while now, with the Spanish giants reportedly in pole position to land the versatile left-back.
Junior Firpo joined the ranks at Real Betis in 2014 but managed to break into the first-team in 2018. The year has been kind to the 22-year-old, who has not only managed to seal a regular place in the starting eleven but has also drawn quite a bit of attention from top clubs, owing to his form and talent.
Deployed at left midfield in the 2018-19 campaign, Firpo has shown he can be a quality asset as a wide midfielder, with the right mix of attacking football and tracking back. His winning contributions against Barcelona and Real Sociedad this season has not gone unnoticed, with Manchester City and Real Madrid both interested in the player.
Real Madrid have Marcelo as the only recognised left-back in their squad. Sergio Reguilon has emerged as a valuable backup option under Santiago Solari. But, the team still needs a proper alternative to Marcelo, which justifies their interest in Junior Firpo.
Manchester City have started to struggle after a brilliant start to their 2018-19 campaign. While they recovered from successive losses with a 3-1 win over Southampton on Sunday, the left side of the defence has become somewhat of a problem area. Fabian Delph has shown that he cannot be relied on to deliver consistent and calm displays.
Danilo has not been impressive either on the left while Oleksandr Zinchenko has failed to inspire much confidence in his ability to be a regular at the top level.
Real Madrid appear to be in pole position to land Firpo, according to the report. But, Manchester City are keeping a keen eye, waiting to pounce in case Pep Guardiola does give his nod to the transfer and there appears wiggle room to snatch the player away from Real.
