With Manchester City’s pursuit of Erling Haaland seemingly growing ever closer by the day, one other positional issue Pep Guardiola will have to address in the summer is at left-back. For nearly a year, Joao Cancelo has dazzled supporters with some sensational displays in that area, but the fact remains that the Portuguese international is a natural right-back.
Kyle Walker is also approaching the twilight of his career, and that may force the need for Cancelo to move back over to the right side of the field. City’s other option in that area, Oleksandr Zinchenko, is a natural central midfielder, which leaves the Blues without an actual left-back.
With the summer transfer window rapidly approaching, we’ve had a look at three potential targets City could be scouting:
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Theo Hernandez (AC Milan)
The former Real Madrid defender has been a revelation for AC Milan since joining the club in 2019. It was a move that revived his career and he has since attracted the attention of some elite sides.
That includes City, who have had the France international on their radar a few times in the past couple of years. In 31 appearances this season, Hernandez has contributed four goals and nine assists, making a name for himself as one of the finest attacking full-backs in Europe.
An issue with this potential move would be Hernandez’s price tag. The full-back penned a contract extension with the Rossoneri last month, keeping him at the club until at least 2026 – so any potential transfer would cost City a lot of money.
If reports are to be believed, the Blues will splash out a lot of money on a striker this summer, so they’ll likely be unable to do the same on a left-back in such a short space of time.
Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)
If the Blues are already raiding Borussia Dortmund for one player, they may as well discuss the availability of Raphael Guerreiro. Brought to the club by now-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, the 28-year-old has also enjoyed spells as a defensive midfielder. Versatility is always key for Guardiola, so a move for Guerreiro may not be completely unlikely.
A regular in the Portuguese national team set-up, let’s not forget that the left-back has his own attacking quality - he’s scored four goals and provided two assists in just 16 Bundesliga appearances this season. Perhaps the most interesting thing to note about Guerreiro’s situation is that his contract expires in 2023, and no signs of an extension up until this point could suggest the player is open to a new challenge.
Jose Gaya (Valencia)
With how long Jose Gaya has been performing at the top level, it’s hard to believe the Valencia man is only 26 years of age. Since joining his boyhood club in 2006, the academy graduate has gone on to make 284 senior appearances and is now the regular captain. Also a well-established member of the Spanish national team, Gaya is certainly very experienced at the top level.
The Spaniard’s contract also runs out in 2023, but it’s hard to envision – barring a request from the player to leave – City could convince him to swap the Mestalla for the Etihad.
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