Manchester City are reportedly eyeing a summer swoop for Leicester City’s youth prospect Ben Nelson.
According to a report from Daily Mail, Manchester City have expressed the desire to sign Ben Nelson. They have been monitoring the progress of the 18-year-old Leicester City defensive sensation for quite some time now, with Pep Guardiola hoping to snap him up in the upcoming summer transfer window.
A centre-back by trade, Nelson currently plies his trade in Leicester City’s reserve squad. He had been a part of the club’s youth system for a few years now and has impressed the onlookers with his performances in the youth leagues.
Despite standing at 1.80m, the 18-year-old has left a solid impression with his physical and aerial dominance, coupled with his athleticism at the heart of the backline. Although yet to make a senior appearance for Leicester, he is poised to make his breakthrough coming season.
Coach Brendan Rodgers plans to make him the ideal replacement for Jannik Vestergaard, who has endured a tough season at the King Power Stadium and is likely to be offloaded, amid interest from Everton. His exit could pave the way for Nelson to compete with Jonny Evans, Caglar Soyuncu and Wesley Fofana for a place in the starting eleven.
However, there are question marks over Nelson’s future at Leicester, as Manchester City look to cut his chapter at LCFC short. Although the Premier League champions are yet to make a move for the youngster, they are very much keen on signing the teenage defensive sensation as part of their youth setup.
Manchester City have discovered an array of talented young players across England in recent years. To that end, coach Pep Guardiola is hoping to make Ben Nelson his latest addition, especially given the promise the young defender has shown during his time with the Leicester City youth setup.
However, the report adds the pursuit of Nelson could prove to be difficult for Manchester City. The 18-year-old is expected to choose his next destination wisely as his priority is to seal regular game-time and earn a breakthrough in the Premier League.
Although Manchester City have an excellent academy, very few of their players have managed to make an impact in the first team. And with that in mind, it would perhaps be wiser for the teenage sensation to stay put at Leicester City in an attempt to make a name for himself in the Premier League.
