Manchester City continue to be busier than any other club in Europe during this transfer window.
The Sky Blues are working on three deals that could see them spend in excess of £120m, with Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush all potentially on their way to the Etihad.
Meanwhile, club captain Kyle Walker has seemingly made his last appearance for the Citizens, having not been included in the squad for Tuesday night’s clash with Brentford, in which Phil Foden’s brace seemingly had them set for victory in West London, only to suffer a full-scale collapse, conceding twice, ultimately lucky to leave with even a point.
So, with Walker reportedly on his way to AC Milan, could Man City dip into the transfer market further as they target a new full-back?
Manchester City chasing a new right-back
According to reports on the continent, via TEAMtalk, Manchester City are continuing to monitor Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso ahead of a possible move.
La Vecchia Signora value Cambiaso as an ‘important player’, although a ‘significant bid’ could tempt them to sell.
Cambiaso joined Juve from Genoa for a reported €11.5m (£9.5m) in 2022, spending his first season on loan at Bologna, but establishing himself as a key figure in Turin subsequently, featuring in 39 of 43 matches last season, while he has started 18 times for I Bianconeri during this campaign to date, playing all 90 minutes of Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta in Serie A.
Commentator Leonardo Bertozzi labels Cambiaso as “versatile”, while Peter Young of Football Italia praises his ability to play on “either side of a back four, at wing-back and potentially in midfield”, comparing him to another former Juventus and Man City defender João Cancelo.
Reports in Italy claim Juventus value the 24-year-old at €50m (£42m), adding that this price tag has ‘soared in just a few months’, so Man City will have to pay big if they’re to land their man.
How Andrea Cambiaso would improve Manchester City
Already this season, Cambiaso has been deployed at left-back, right-back and even right-wing by Thiago Motta, while Italy boss Luciano Spalletti started him in all six UEFA Nations League matches as a right-wing-back, scoring his first two international goals against Belgium at Stadio Olimpico and then when France visited San Siro a month later.
Of course, Guardiola will love Cambiaso’s versatility, but first and foremost, Walker’s imminent exit means Man City need a new right-back, so let’s see how the duo compare.
Appearances
77
82
Minutes
5,218
6,661
Attempted passes
2,595
4,418
Pass completion %
86%
88.5%
Progressive passes
165
316
Touches per 90
52.1
64.3
Assists
8
6
Shot-creating actions
143
103
Take-on success %
46.5%
59.6%
Tackles
91
71
% of dribblers tackled
61.8%
54.4%
Blocks
47
40
Interceptions
25
50
Since the start of last season, Walker has racked up around 1,400 more minutes than Cambiaso, largely due to the fact Juventus were not in UEFA competition last season, coupled with England’s run to the final of Euro 2024.
The statistics do make for interesting reading, with Walker more impressive in possession and when it comes to dribbling, although Cambiaso is significantly more productive going forward, racking up 15 goals and assists, nine more than Walker despite his limited minutes in comparison.
Also, the Italian ranks vastly higher for defensive metrics such as tackles, % of dribblers tackled and blocks, showing he could be exactly the profile of full-back Man City need right now, considering they’ve kept only two clean sheets across their last 15 Premier League and Champions League games.
With Reis and Khusanov seemingly already on their way, the Sky Blues could have a nigh-on entirely new back-line by the time the window closes on 3rd February.
After Walker: Pep must now sell Man City star who earns more than Haaland
Manchester City should move on the midfielder before his contract expires in the summer.
ByDan EmeryJan 14, 2025
