Manchester City could switch their attention towards signing a high-profile left-back, with Atletico Madrid’s Renan Lodi emerging on their radar.
According to The Telegraph, Manchester City could remain in the market for a new left-back despite closing in on Anderlecht’s Sergio Gomez. The club want a top-draw full-back to join their ranks, and Atletico Madrid’s Renan Lodi has emerged as a possible target.
Pep Guardiola is keen on signing a new left-back, who can slot straight into his first team. The departure of Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal weakened the position at the club, forcing the Premier League champions to ramp up their pursuit of a left-sided full-back.
After verbally agreeing on a deal with Anderlecht for 21-year-old Sergio Gomez, Guardiola is believed to want a top-draw player in the position. In such a scenario, Gomez is likely to be sent out on loan for a season, with Manchester City planning to offload the Spaniard to La Liga side Girona for the 2022/23 campaign.
While Gomez was always considered part of the future project, Marc Cucurella was Manchester City’s primary target in the summer. Having failed to negotiate a deal with Brighton and seeing the player join Premier League rivals Chelsea, Guardiola remains open to new ideas.
Atletico Madrid’s Renan Lodi has emerged on their radar, with the 24-year-old considered a solid fit for Guardiola’s style. The Brazilian has been a regular with the Spanish side and has become an essential player under Diego Simeone over three seasons.
Atletico reportedly value Lodi in the same bracket as Brighton did Cucurella. Hence a deal may not be straightforward, as Manchester City may have to pay significantly to land the full-back. His arrival could ease the burden on Joao Cancelo, who is a right-back by trade and has regularly played on the opposite flank in the last many games.
Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro was mentioned as an alternative to Cucurella, while Croatian star Borna Sosa has also been on their radar. Guerreiro, 28, has vast experience at the top level, having spent seven seasons with Dortmund. He also remains a regular in the Portugal national side, which makes him a solid option.
However, Lodi is in the right age bracket for the player Guardiola wants, although his price tag may become an issue. It remains to be seen whether Manchester City will agree to pay Atletico’s asking price for Lodi. The chance to play under Guardiola and for the Premier League champions could be challenging to turn down for the Brazilian if Man City make a formal offer.
