Manchester City retain an interest in Brighton & Hove Albion star Kaoru Mitoma as Pep Guardiola is ready to spend big on a new left winger.
According to Fichajes, Manchester City are still interested in Kaoru Mitoma and could launch a move next summer. The report states the Japanese winger is someone Pep Guardiola admires, although he faces competition and difficulties in making a move. Brighton & Hove Albion want €70-80 million to part ways with him.
Brighton have unearthed some massive players out of nowhere and made them big stars in the Premier League. They have also profited from their endeavours, as the sales of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo showcased during the summer.
Despite losing those two influential stars, Brighton already have their next big assets in place for future sales. Evan Ferguson looks like the next €100 million-plus player after continuing his stellar form since breaking through into Roberto De Zerbi’s side. The other one is probably Kaoru Mitoma.
The Japanese international has proven his worth for Brighton since last season and continues to remain one of De Zerbi’s most trusted attackers. He has already managed to attract the attention of some top Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester City.
Manchester City are always on the lookout for the best profiles, and Mitoma certainly brings certain qualities that would improve Pep Guardiola’s side. The Premier League champions had considered him during the summer but faced a massive challenge to convince Brighton, which probably led them towards signing Jeremy Doku instead.
The Belgian has become a regular for Guardiola, which has led to Jack Grealish losing out on game time. Should Manchester City consider a move for Mitoma, the €70-80 million-rated Premier winger will likely displace the England international, considering how things have panned out this season.
Manchester City are also keen on Rafael Leao, which hints at Guardiola’s search for a new left winger for next summer. They might also have an interest in Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But there are no direct links with the Georgian winger yet.
As for Mitoma, he ticks a lot of boxes for Guardiola in how he wants his left winger to play. The Japanese attacker is also more productive with his numbers than Grealish, and hence makes a lot of sense for Manchester City to pursue him.
The big problem is his recently-renewed contract, which will see Brighton demand a lot more than the €70-80 million stated in the report. Manchester United are also keen on Mitoma, and the competition would not help Guardiola, as it could drive up the rates for the winger. Hence, there are some difficulties in pursuing the winger, although Mitoma might also consider making the step up if an opportunity arrives.
