Manchester City have been in discussions to sign a new midfielder, despite already bringing in Elliot Anderson this summer.
Anderson arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Nottingham Forest in a £116m deal, with Sky Sports’ Ben Ransom adding he could be the ideal addition to Enzo Maresca‘s midfield.
“Elliot Anderson will 100 per cent fit into Enzo Maresca’s system. He would have fit into Pep Guardiola’s and fit into any manager’s system because he’s so versatile. He can play as a single pivot. As we’ve seen at the World Cup, he can play alongside someone like Declan Rice.
“He can break the lines, press, win duels – he is an all-action midfielder. He can even score goals, as we saw against Man City last season. That versatility makes him a really important signing for Man City, particularly when you consider Bernardo Silva’s exit this summer.
However, Maresca’s side remain keen on adding another midfielder to their ranks before the end of the window, with Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi among the options, alongside AS Roma star Manu Kone.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
Man City are clearly keen to sign another midfielder after Anderson, with Bouaddi known to be a target, and Kone is clearly highly rated, given that rivals Manchester United are also keen. |
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Finances |
AS Roma may need to cash-in to raise funds this summer, and they have valued their midfielder at £50m, which is on the pricey side, considering City have already shelled out £116m to sign Anderson. |
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Insight |
Roma probably feel they can demand a high fee as the Frenchman is an established international, starting three games at the World Cup. Moreover, scout Jacek Kulig once lauded him as a “fantastic” player and a “one-man army” after impressing against Bayern Munich, which shows he is able to go toe-to-toe with the world’s best sides. |
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Impact |
Man City are willing to listen to offers for Nico Gonzalez this summer, and given that Kone also flourishes in a deeper role, he could be brought in as a replacement for the Spaniard. |
Man City hold talks to sign Manu Kone
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man City have held talks with intermediaries regarding the signing of Kone, with Man United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea also being sounded out.
Promisingly, the France international is keen on a move to the Premier League, which suggests a deal could be possible, but he could set City back £50m.
Update on Rodri’s future amid talks to sign Manu Kone
Rodri has just one year remaining on his City contract, which means it may be time to start thinking about signing a replacement, and Anderson could be the man.
That is according to Sky Sports’ Ben Ransom, who said: “There’s no guarantee Rodri is going to sign an extension at this point, but Anderson is clearly a player who can play alongside or in place of Rodri – he’s that talented. City fans will be really excited about reinvigorating that midfield when you look at some of the other players in that position.”
On paper, the Roma maestro is a similar type of player, considering he is averaging 61.3 accurate passes per 90 at the World Cup, the second-highest number in the France squad, whereas Anderson is averaging 56.3 and Rodri 100.5.
Kone most commonly plays in a deeper midfield role, akin to both City midfielders, so he may not be a worthwhile signing this summer, considering he is too similar to Maresca’s current options. That said, things could change if it becomes apparent Rodri wants to leave.
