Man City defender wanted by European giants with Pep Guardiola’s side eyeing £40m sale

Manchester City defender Yan Couto is attracting interest from the Premier League and across Europe, according to The Pitch Prospect.

Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus and a number of English clubs are believed to be interested in a summer move for the right-back.

Couto could give Man City a stroke of luckPhoto credit: Getty Images

Couto could give Man City a stroke of luck.

The 21-year-old moved to Man City in the summer of 2020 following interest from Barcelona and has spent most of his time on loan since then.

During this time he spent three seasons on loan at Girona and played a key role for Spain’s surprise team this season.

Girona have challenged Real Madrid for the LaLiga title this season and are on course to secure Champions League football for the first time in their history.

Playing largely as a right midfielder, Couto has scored two goals and provided ten assists for his teammates, leading to significant European interest.

Couto is yet to make a first team appearance for Pep Guardiola’s side, something that is unlikely to change with Man City unable to guarantee him first-team action next season.

This is largely due to Kyle Walker’s unstoppable presence at right-back, with Rico Lewis and John Stones also able to fill that role.

As a result, Man City could be poised to cash in on the player.

It is believed that City could demand a transfer fee in the region of £40 million if sold – the fee former City defender Pedro Porro demanded when he left Sporting Lisbon for Tottenham last year.

Man City earned a decent transfer fee from Porro's move from Sporting to SpursPhoto credit: Getty Images

Man City earned a decent transfer fee from Porro’s move from Sporting to Spurs.

Porro spent two years on loan with the Portuguese side before moving for £7.2 million, a transfer fee that was eclipsed just 12 months later when he joined Ange Postecoglou’s side permanently.

Porro played his career at Girona and signed for City in 2019, but like Couto, never played in the Premier League champions’ first team.

He spent three years at the Etihad Stadium before making a permanent move to Sporting, returning to the Premier League with Spurs just a year later.

City paid a cool £10m in on-sale fees as part of the deal and it looks like they could look to do the same with Couto this summer, with a host of suitors floating around.