Manchester City are facing frustration in their hunt for a winger, but that could change quickly

Manchester City are facing frustration in their hunt for a winger, but that could change quickly

One item on Manchester City’s to-do list for this summer is to sign another winger. As of yet, a clear target for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders to fulfil this position has not emerged. Manchester City will not sanction the sale of Savinho to Tottenham unless they find a replacement. Several wingers have been named as potential targets for City, however, there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut option at this stage for a variety of reasons. For now, Manchester City’s hunt for another winger has been a frustrating process to watch unfold from the outside.

Ibrahim Mbaye has been named as a City target but major red flags have surfaced.

So far this summer, Manchester City have been linked with PSG winger Ibrahim Mbaye, Everton’s versatile attacker Iliman Ndiaye and more recently, Chelsea’s Portuguese international Pedro Neto, all of whom have been named as potential transfer targets. However, there seems to be a case against City moving for each particular player. In the case of Iliman Ndiaye, perhaps he wasn’t a strong target for Manchester City in the first place.

Get Football Football News France has relayed a report from journalist Romain Molina that there are concerns surrounding the situation around PSG winger Ibrahim Mbaye. It is reported that Mbaye’s inner circle believes he should have played more often for PSG. They believe Mbaye is a better talent than Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé. It is also reported that Mbaye had issues with turning up to PSG training on time, plus fluctuating weight issues, which saw him fall down the pecking order at the European Champions. Furthermore, it is reported that PSG were not happy with leaks from Mbaye’s camp, which they believe came from the player’s father.

It is also reported that Manchester City have an interest in signing Ibrahim Mbaye this summer. However, Romain Molina’s report does come across as a major red flag. If any of the reported issues are true, would City risk spending big on Mbaye? Perhaps not.

Could Pedro Neto be an option for City? Perhaps not for a variety of reasons.

Mark Brus has reported via his exclusive Daily Briefing column that Manchester City have an interest in signing Chelsea winger Pedro Neto this summer. Brus reports that Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has ‘concrete interest’ in adding the Portuguese international to his squad. Lastly, it is reported that Chelsea would demand €80 million to sell Pedro Neto.

It would appear incredibly unlikely that Manchester City would move for Pedro Neto this summer. The reported price tag for a player who, when fit, is a Premier player proven winger is far too high. Pedro Neto’s injury history would seem to rule that potential move out. The reported price tag and the relationship between Manchester City and Chelsea would seemingly rule this move out.

Lastly, Iliman Ndiaye was previously named as a player that City were looking at but that ship may have sailed.

Alan Nixon reported earlier this summer that Manchester City did hold an interest in Everton’s Senegalese international Iliman Ndiaye. However, that move may now be out of the equation. Fabrizio Romano has reported that Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal have begun talks to sign Ndiaye this summer. If Ndiaye was a target for City, it would be highly unlikely that they’d let another club enter the race. Also, the chances are slim that Manchester City will be drawn into a ‘bidding war’ with a Saudi Pro League club for any player.

It would seem likely that Manchester City’s preferred target is yet to reveal itself.

There is a case, in some instances a strong one, for Manchester City not to move for one of Ibrahim Mbaye, Pedro Neto or Iliman Ndiaye. Each player has their strengths and undoubted potential, however you wonder if the case against moving for each player rules them out of a summer move to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders. If that proves to be the case, City’s search for a winger will continue.

However, there is another alternative scenario which looms large. Perhaps Manchester City’s preferred target to fill a role on the wing in Enzo Maresca’s squad has yet to reveal itself. This may well prove to be the case given how much time remains left in the summer transfer window. In fact, that does seem like the most likely possibility at this stage of proceedings. It may take a week or two, or longer, for this particular scenario to play out.

Manchester City remain on the hunt for another winger to add to Enzo Maresca’s squad. City’s chase for a winger looks have been a frustrating one on first glance. While that appears to be the case for right now, assuming City sign another winger, it may well not be by the time the transfer window shuts.

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