Manchester City ‘hold talks’ over Premier League left-back signing – Player-plus-cash deal discussed

Premier League champions Manchester City have reportedly ‘held talks’ over a potential summer move for one of the division’s standout left-backs.

It comes as Manchester City have battled on for another season without a recognised left-back, with Pep Guardiola continuing to develop and improve existing defensive options into the role with great effect.

The last summer transfer window saw Manchester City invest heavily in the signature of Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig, with many seeing the arrival of the Croatian international as a direct replacement for Aymeric Laporte.

However, since joining Guardiola’s operation, the 21-year-old has been utilised predominantly in the left-back role, battling for minutes alongside his fellow left-footed option Nathan Ake on the left of a back-four.

But this coming summer transfer window could see Manchester City recruit their first traditional left-back since the signing of Benjamin Mendy from AS Monaco in 2017, with options from within the Premier League now being explored according to reports.

According to the information of FootballTransfers’ Steve Kay, Manchester City have ‘held talks’ with Wolverhampton Wanderers regarding a possible summer move for their impressive left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri.

Unsurprisingly given the player’s talents, City are not alone in their interest, with Arsenal and Liverpool also reportedly monitoring the Algerian defender. City are also claimed to have discussed the possibility of involving Sergio Gomez in a player-plus-cash swap deal.

City’s shortlist of left-back names has been somewhat limited, with FootballTransfers reporting that Ait-Nouri is ‘currently ahead’ of Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, despite the Molineux club having claimed to have set a staggering £60 million price tag on their man.

Elsewhere, Manchester City could also look to recruit names in midfield as part of a summer transfer window that is expected to be one of top-level investment for Etihad Stadium recruitment chiefs.

Uncertainty surrounding the futures of Bernardo Silva and Kalvin Phillips in particular are likely to open the door for new arrivals in midfield, while Kevin De Bruyne’s age is also expected to be taken into consideration as part of longer-term contingency plans.

City have been tipped with interest in the Bundesliga’s premier attacking midfield talents, however Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala are both expected to remain at Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich respectively, from the viewpoint of those in east Manchester.