Premier League giants Manchester City and Italian behemoths Juventus are set to battle it out for Valencia star Jose Gaya.
According to El Nacional, Spanish international Jose Gaya is drawing attention from Manchester City and Juventus.
The 26-year-old Valencia skipper is among the best full-backs of his generation in La Liga. He is currently in his prime and continues to raise eyebrows with his displays. An all-action player, he will be an excellent addition to almost any team across Europe.
Manchester City, for their part, do have the excellent Joao Cancelo available to feature at left-back. While Oleksandr Zinchenko is a capable deputy, the loss of Benjamin Mendy leaves a slot open. The Frenchman’s unsavoury case gets murkier by the day, and one has to question if he has a future in the sport, let alone in Manchester.
Pep Guardiola is a fan of Gaya and would welcome the chance to add him to the Manchester City roster. The task, however, will not be easy given the interest the player has been garnering across Europe.
Italian giants Juventus are currently in a state of rebuild and are keen to land Gaya for themselves. Alex Sandro is a decent player, but Gaya is certainly an upgrade and can be a more dynamic addition to the Old Lady first XI.
The Spaniard, for his part, is keen for a new challenge. His contract at the Mestalla expires in 2023, and the chances of penning an extension to stay put appear remote. Gaya is not short of options and is also subject to much interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The Spaniard will stay put at Valencia for the remainder of the season, seeking a way out only in the summer. Available for a measly €20 million, Gaya represents excellent value for money. The chances of signing an established international of Gaya’s abilities for a lower fee would be nothing short of a miracle.
Gaya’s preference appears to be to move to Barcelona, but the Catalan giants are not biting. He is keen to experience Champions League football, something that both Juventus and City can offer.
Juventus appear to be leading the race to land the 26-year-old at this point. Allegri is looking to re-establish the Bianconeri as a bastion of invincibility in Italian football. Bringing in the right players will certainly make his job easier. Whether Guardiola can use the Spanish connection to snare the full-back to the Etihad remains to be seen.
