Manchester City are in pole position to secure the signing of Nuno Mendes, although Sporting CP value him at €55 million.
According to Rudy Galetti, Manchester City are in the driver’s seat in the pursuit of Nuno Mendes. The Sporting CP youngster has been identified as an ideal target as Pep Guardiola look to bolster his options at left-back.
Mendes does have a release clause of €70 million, but Sporting are willing to cash in on him for €55 million this summer. However, that figure is believed to be too high for Manchester City, who are primarily looking to avoid any FFP complications knowing they still have to sign a proper centre-forward following the departure of Sergio Aguero.
The Premier League champions are highly expected to complete a deal for Jack Grealish, while they are also in the mix, as far as the pursuit of Harry Kane is concerned. But it appears Guardiola is indeed worried about the left-back position, where Manchester City lack depth.
The breakout of Joao Cancelo last season was a blessing for the Citizens. But after selling Angelino to RB Leipzig permanently, they do not have a reliable alternative other than the injury-prone Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko. It is no secret that the young Ukrainian favours playing in a central midfield role, so Manchester City’s desire to sign someone like Mendes certainly makes sense this summer.
The Sporting youth academy product was a breakout star in Primeira Liga last term. He became an ever-present figure for a team that broke Benfica and FC Porto’s dominance in Portuguese football by winning the league title whilst remaining unbeaten in the process.
During the course of the season, Mendes made 29 appearances, chipping in with one goal and one assist. His numbers are not necessarily impressive, but the youngster has turned a lot of heads with his speed, athleticism and positional sense.
It goes hand in hand with Pep Guardiola’s tactical philosophy, though it remains to be seen whether Manchester City manage to lower the Portuguese international’s price tag. In either case, it will be essential for them to offload some unwanted players, with Gabriel Jesus recently being linked with a move to Juventus.
However, it is fair to mention that Mendes is not Manchester City’s only option. The reigning English champions are indeed scouting other options, including one of Fulham’s star players in Antonee Robinson.
