Manchester City have reportedly narrowed in on Napoli ace Fabian Ruiz, who is on the radars of Barcelona and Real Madrid, as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan.
According to Fichajes, Manchester City are interested in signing Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz in the summer transfer window as a potential replacement for veteran star Ilkay Gundogan. The Spanish international is also on the radars of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Ruiz joined Napoli from Real Betis in the summer of 2018 and has grown into a vital player for the Partenopei while establishing himself as one of the most reliable central midfielders in Italy. To date, the 26-year-old has racked up a tally of 22 goals and 15 assists from 166 appearances for the Serie A side.
Ruiz enjoyed a promising 2021/22 campaign, in which he had a direct hand in 12 goals (seven goals, five assists) from 38 matches across all competitions as Napoli challenged for the Serie A title. However, the 26-year-old Spanish international’s future has been a subject of intense speculation as he is entering the final year of his contract with the Partenopei.
Barcelona and Real Madrid have been heavily linked with a move for the midfielder in the recent past. Barcelona have a well-stocked midfield department, as things stand, but the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Frenkie de Jong and Riqui Puig could open the door for the Catalans to add another midfielder to their ranks.
De Jong is closing in on a move to Manchester United, and Ruiz, given his experience in La Liga and his contract situation at Napoli, can be a cost-effective replacement at Camp Nou. However, Barcelona’s financial situation might prevent them from making a move for the Spanish international.
Real Madrid have also been linked with a move for Ruiz. However, considering that they recently signed Aurelien Tchouameni and extended the contract of Luka Modric, they might not want to sign a new midfielder right away and could wait until 2023 to sign Ruiz on a Bosman deal.
This should leave the field clear for Manchester City to swoop in and sign Ruiz. The Cityzens are set to lose veteran midfielder Fernandinho, who will depart at the end of the month as a free agent. At the same time, Ilkay Gundogan is also likely to move on from the Etihad Stadium as he is entering the last year of his contract and will not be given an extension.
Interestingly enough, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been linked with Gundogan, although a move for the German is unlikely. Nevertheless, the 31-year-old is expected to move on this summer, leaving a gap in the Manchester City midfield, which Pep Guardiola’s side intend to fill with Ruiz’s signing.
The 26-year-old has quality in abundance and is entering the peak years of his career. Whether Manchester City launch a move for Ruiz or look at other options will be interesting to see.