He just can’t say no – £100m target refused to join Manchester City insist on renewing his contract
Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, looks dejected prior to the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Manchester City at Bre…
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Despite Rodri suffering an injury in the Euro 2024 final, Manchester City have taken the surprising decision not to sign a midfielder with only three weeks left in the summer transfer window.
Instead, City prioritised bolstering the right-wing department of their squad by signing Savinho and Fabrizio Romano has claimed a winger could replace Julian Alvarez — as per the type of player the club are looking to sign to make up for the Argentine’s potential move to Atletico Madrid.
However, in July, it was reported that signing an understudy to Rodri was Manchester City’s primary goal during the summer transfer window.
The Sky Blues are claimed not to have done so because they have found it difficult to identify any player who could replace him in the side and look the part due to the Spaniard being the best holding midfielder in the world.
Darren Bent has claimed a potential injury to Rodri is a scenario that City simply cannot afford.
Even in pre-season, it was perhaps at centre-back where Kalvin Phillips looked at his best rather than at the base of midfield; signifying that so far, the club lack any player who can serve as a backup for the four-time Premier League winner at a high level.
Considering Bruno Guimaraes has been trusted to play as a holding midfielder for both Newcastle United and Brazil, Manchester City’s links to him seemed like the perfect match.
In May, it was claimed by journalist Ben Jacobs that City seemed likelier than Arsenal to pay his £100 million release clause that was set to expire on June 24.
Jacobs also claimed a reduced fee of £80 million could tempt Manchester City to consider submitting an offer for the Newcastle United midfielder far more than the Gunners.
Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United in action during the J.LEAGUE International Series 2024 powered by docomo match between Yokohama F•Marinos and …
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However, Pep Guardiola’s side chose not to take neither route and as a result, there seems to be a lack of clarity over whether they will address their absence of a backup defensive midfielder in the transfer market.
It was claimed on Tuesday that even if Atletico Madrid’s £82 million move for Julian Alvarez was finalised, City would not try signing Guimaraes because their decision not to came down to the valuation Newcastle has set rather their inability to fund the transfer.
However, one would presume that if the Premier League winners were well and truly interested in signing the former Lyon midfielder, he would be disappointed that a move looks like it is off the table now.
But instead, Guimaraes has revealed that he was never intending to leave Newcastle in the first place amid his links to Manchester City this summer.
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As quoted by journalist Mark Douglas, he said: “I’m very happy, I never said I would like to leave, I always said I would like to put my name in the club’s history.”
Shame that Guimaraes to Manchester City looks unlikely now
Ultimately, Manchester City have the right to stick their guns and choose not to pay a sum that they deem is over the odds for a certain player.
Similarly, Guimaraes seems content to remain a Newcastle player and his career decisions are up to him.
However, the move would have made perfect sense.
Unlike in Phillips’ case, Guimaraes and Rodri could have played as a midfield duo on a consistent basis.
When the European Championship winner was unavailable or rested, the Brazilian’s experience of playing in defensive midfield would have made life easier for Pep Guardiola in the former’s absence.
Guimaraes, who is already a top player would likely have also improved under Guardiola and been a part of a team who look set to continue winning silverware.
At 26, the highly-rated midfielder is in the prime of his career and there are not many better clubs in world football to take one’s game and overall career to the next level than Manchester City.
But it is a shame that this particular transfer does not seem like it is set to occur this summer.
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