Manchester City have set their sights on a potential summer swoop for Amine Gouri, who is valued at €50 million.
According to a report from Fichajes, Manchester City have entered the race to sign Amine Gouiri. The OGC Nice attacker is currently one of the hottest prospects in Ligue 1, thanks to his explosive start to the campaign. It has attracted the attention of a host of clubs across Europe, including the reigning English champions.
Pep Guardiola, in particular, is believed to be an admirer of the young forward due to his style of play, which resembles that of Karim Benzema. However, his team may have to spend a fortune in order to secure his services, with the youngster being valued at €50 million by Nice.
Curiously, Gouiri, much like Benzema, is a product of the Olympique Lyon youth academy. However, he was snapped up by Nice last summer for a fee of just €7 million. It proved to be a bargain for the Ligue 1 giants, as the youngster was involved in 19 league goals during his first season at the club.
This time around, under the leadership of Christophe Galtier, the 21-year-old is starting to reach new heights. In just 11 league outings, the youngster has been involved in nine goals, helping Nice emerge as the main rival for PSG in the Ligue 1 title race, even though it is non-existent at the moment.
Gouiri’s performances have not gone unnoticed either. Earlier this season, the Frenchman was courted by both Real Madrid and Liverpool, with the two giants still keeping a close eye on his development under Galtier.
It appears Manchester City have joined the party as well, with head coach Pep Guardiola keen on snapping him up next summer. It is no secret that the English champions are looking for reinforcements in the number nine role, someone who can emerge as the ideal successor of Sergio Aguero.
Erling Haaland has emerged as the priority option. But from a tactical perspective, Gouiri might suit Man City’s playstyle better due to his versatility, technical prowess and ability to drift into multiple areas in the final third.
The 21-year-old has already shown his quality in Ligue 1 so far, scoring 18 goals while supplying ten more in just over 50 appearances. His productivity should be a bonus for a Manchester City team that has learned to play without a traditional centre-forward upfront. So, it will be interesting to see if the Citizens opt for a no-risk approach and attempt to sign Gouiri in the summer.