Manchester City have reportedly made an offer in the region of €65m (£54.7m) for Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso.
The reigning Premier League champions were unusually active in the winter transfer window. January is typically the time for City to sign young talent, often from South America, before immediately sending them out on loan. Since Aymeric Laporte’s arrival in 2018, no winter signing has been immediately integrated into City’s first team.
Desperate times call for drastic measures. Pep Guardiola’s fallen giants are on the defensive at home and on the continent. After a bit of a post-Christmas revival, City’s newfound vulnerability was on display again when they conceded two goals in the final eight minutes of Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Brentford.
This crisis has led the club to enter uncharted territory in the transfer market. City have already completed three deals totaling well over £100m this month, with Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush expected to follow centre-back duo Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis through the door at the Etihad.
But the buying spree doesn’t stop there.
City are preparing an initial offer of €60m-65m (£50m-55m) for versatile Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso, according to an Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio. However, the Serie A giants will reportedly demand up to €80m (£67m) if the Italy international is due to leave Turin in January.
This large sum – which is higher than City are expected to pay for Khusanov and Reis combined – is intended to deter any interest in a mid-season move and could be lowered next summer.
The Telegraph claim that City view Cambiaso as a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker, despite the 24-year-old predominantly playing on the left side of defence. City’s experienced right-back could be on his way to Italy this month after Guardiola expressed the defender’s desire to leave. The English publication reports that the Sky Blues would be willing to wait until next summer to sign Cambiaso, who may only cost around £50m by then.
It is said that no offer has been made yet Fabrizio Romanoand a deal for Marmoush is described as a clear “priority” before further talks for Cambiaso can begin.