Fabrizio Romano provides important update on Manchester City interest in Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma

An important update from Fabrizio Romano concerning any potential move from Manchester City for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma has been provided.

The Premier League champions were keen on signing a new wide winger during the summer months after Riyad Mahrez brought an end to his illustrious time at the Etihad Stadium by joining Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli in a £35 million deal.

While a number of exciting names had been linked with respective moves to Manchester City, officials at the CFA ultimately opted to secure a deal for the now-former Stade Rennais winger Jeremy Doku in a deal understood to be worth in the region of £55 million.

Nevertheless, the signing of the 21-year-old Belgium international has not stopped the transfer rumour mill from churning out gossip linking City with interest in additional names operating in the wide positions.

The latest to be linked with a level of interest is Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma, who took the Premier League by storm last season and continues to impress for his nation during the ongoing international break.

Writing as part of his Daily Briefing’s, Fabrizio Romano said on reported Manchester City interest in Brighton and Japan international Kaoru Mitoma, “My understanding is that there is nothing at the moment – I asked today and there is nothing to report on player or club side.”

Romano continued, “Brighton love Mitoma and for sure they want him to stay on a long-term deal, it’s very normal to see top clubs following him but as I said for Evan Ferguson, also for Mitoma we’ll get ten or more links per week but nothing will happen this or next month.

“Mitoma is 100% focused on Brighton and they don’t even want to mention an asking price for the player.”

Kaoru Mitoma is being widely tipped as being the next big-money exit from Brighton, following on from the likes of Marc Cucurella and Alexis Mac Allister in recent transfer windows joining Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.

In fact, the former club recently broke the transfer record for a signing made by a British club after they recruited Moises Caicedo from Brighton in a deal worth a base fee of £100 million, potentially rising to around £115 million due to performance related add-ons.

City were busy in their own transfer window during the course of the summer market, recruiting on four occasions as they brought in Mateo Kovacic, Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku, and Matheus Nunes to strengthen Pep Guardiola’s options across the field.