Man City are set to battle against Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen to sign Porto right-back Martim Fernandes.
Pep Guardiola will need to find a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker this summer, as the England international is expected to leave the club. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Italian side AC Milan.
The 34-year-old is still making the England national team, and will likely want to go somewhere that increases his chances of getting into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad next summer. But it is not yet understood whether Walker will go.
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It is certain that he will leave, so City will need to replace him. They have been linked to signing Newcastle United full back Tino Livramento, but Newcastle don’t want to sell him, so they may have to look elsewhere.
Man City set to battle for Martim Fernandes
Instead of Livramento, City have identified Martim Fernandes from Porto as a potential replacement for Walker. According to a report by TeamTalk, City are set to battle against Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen for Fernandes, as both clubs want to sign him.
The 19-year-old is very well-respected in Portugal, and seen as a future world class right back. Last season, he made 36 appearances for Porto, providing six assists. He likes to play as an attacking full back, and is a player who would fit into Guardiola’s high-intensity brand of football.
The report says that Porto are well aware of the interest from multiple clubs in Fernandes, but haven’t set an asking price for the Portuguese full back yet. He has an estimated market value of around £10m as things stand. However, due to his potential, Porto will likely want considerably more money for him.
Fernandes is under contract at Porto until 2028 after signing a contract extension in April 2024, during which Porto hoped to secure him for a long period. However, the right-back could be tempted by a move to the Premier League and the chance to play under Guardiola.
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