Major clause plotted by Manchester City in any potential deal for 47 goal contribution forward

Manchester City are open to both a permanent sale or a temporary exit for star Academy forward Carlos Borges, but on multiple conditions.

The highly-rated forward, who is currently away on international duty with Portugal under-19 squad, is at the centre of widespread transfer attention from both in England and further afield into continental Europe.

Such level of interest in the player is hardly surprising given the season he has just had, scoring a staggering 29 goals and providing 18 assists in 33 appearances, giving himself a haul of 47 goal contributions across the course of the campaign.

Nevertheless, game time is expected to be hard to come by next season in Manchester City’s senior squad – a possibility that both club and player are aware of – and the feeling is that either eventuality on the departure front could be on the table.

That is according to the latest update on the Portuguese youth international courtesy of Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, who reports that while City are open to either a loan or permanent move for the teenager, they are likely to include a major clause in any agreement.

That is a buy-back clause; a term that the Premier League champions are now known for including in a number of agreements involving some of their most highly-rated youth academy graduates.

Carlos Borges fits that category, with O’Rourke reporting that the 19-year-old is ‘highly regarded’ at the Etihad Stadium, but there is currently a consensus that Borges will ‘massively struggle’ to break into Pep Guardiola’s first team given the quality already in the side.

As for the view from the player’s side, it is claimed that Borges himself is ‘aware of the difficulty of regular game time’ in the Manchester City first-team at present, and may prefer a club that can ‘promise’ him more regular game time during the forthcoming season.

So far this summer, Carlos Borges has been linked with plenty of interest from various areas of the European game, with possible offers pending from the Premier League, Championship, and Germany’s Bundesliga.

Most recently, it was suggested that Bournemouth had become the latest club to enter the race for the player this summer, with the Cherries open to either a permanent or loan deal. The south coast side are also understood to have been monitoring his performances at the ongoing under-19 European Championships.

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest also have the player on their transfer wishlist, whilst Borussia Dortmund are said to be keen on the player’s services following success seen through the signings of Jadon Sancho and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens from Manchester City.

Other interested parties include Southampton, Palermo, West Ham United, and Brighton & Hove Albion.

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