Manchester City are in the market for a right-back but they have not been able to yet to close in on a target
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Tino Livramento of England battle for possession during a training session at St George's Park
Tino Livramento
As Manchester City fans howled for a left-back summer after summer, an air of frustration grew among the club's executives. It was all very well wanting to strengthen that position but doing so in a way that would satisfy everyone was much more difficult in practice.
Benjamin Mendy was a big-money signing in 2017 and was never on the pitch enough to justify his fee, Angelino was brought back to the club in 2019 and lasted juts six months, Marc Cucurella was deemed far too expensive in 2022 and so the list went on. In the meantime, Pep Guardiola kept producing title-winning teams that invariably broke a record or ten on their way to doing so as he found creative solutions that meant that left-back wasn't the weakness it could have been.
This summer the club went out and bought Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves, and no sooner had that been done came the calls for a right-back. Kyle Walker is leaving the club and nobody had been able to properly fill in the position since he fell so badly out of form last season.
There have been a number of auditions - Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis the main ones - yet nobody has been able to make the position their own, leaving many feeling that the best option is to go back into the transfer market. City have the money to do so, but yet again that probing question is who could they get?
Tino Livramento is seen as the best option, and you can certainly see why the 22-year-old homegrown player would appeal. You can also see why Newcastle would want to keep him as they prepare to return to the Champions League though, and will charge a premium if they are to even consider letting him go.
Flamengo's Wesley has also interested City, although there would be question marks over whether the 21-year-old would be ready to slot straight into the Premier League when most players in that situation require months of adjusting. Denzel Dumfries and Ola Aina have both been linked, although neither seem ideal for City's rebuild.
If no option looks brilliant, City's policy has usually been to avoid the market - especially given it keeps the squad from getting even bigger for Guardiola. Somebody will have to play there, but the manager is not short of options.
As well as Lewis and Nunes, the dream option would be John Stones if he could rediscover the levels of fitness that he had when he was so instrumental in City winning the Treble. If he stays this season, he needs to stay fit.
Otherwise, City could turn to another centre-back. Manu Akanji would be the safe option, however much his popularity seems to be have plummeted with supporters.
The call with the most upside though would be Abudkodir Khusanov, the January signing from Lens. He wasn't terrible there in tough circumstances at the Bernabeu but has been starved of opportunities in any position since March.
It doesn't feel like Guardiola wants to add his riskier style to a team prone to making individual errors, but given the manager's entire strategy is high-risk with his high line Khusanov has the most pace to help recoveries. If he were to slot in alongside two centre-backs, Rayan Ait-Nouri would be free to roam up the other flank.
That wouldn't be the popular option, but it would save City spending millions that may not work out while making use of the options already in the squad.
Kevin de Bruyne - special edition ON SALE NOW
Kevin de Bruyne is one of - if not the - greatest players to play for Manchester City.
He leaves the club having won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and a memorable Champions League victory!
To mark his amazing time at the Etihad Stadium, this special edition has been produced - KDB The King - to celebrate Kev's career with the Blues. We look back at his 10 best games in Blue, celebrate his title wins and hear from the City boss and a host of team-mates and football elite who give their views on what makes him so special.
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