Pep Guardiola reportedly wants Manchester City to sign 24-year-old Argentine international Thiago Almada from Atletico Madrid amid his links with Barcelona.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Thiago Almada is the subject of interest from Manchester City. Pep Guardiola is the driving force behind the Premier League club’s prospective move for the Ciudadela native, as he wants the Citizens to reinforce their offensive unit next year.
So, the 24-year-old Atletico Madrid summer signing has emerged as a target for Manchester City. While the South American attacker is also a target for Barcelona, the reigning La Liga champions fear they may lose the race to sign him from Atletico Madrid next year.
Who is Thiago Almada?
Thiago Almada is slowly but surely on the right path to fulfilling his tremendous potential and establishing himself as one of the best players in the world. The Argentine international compelled many pundits to draw comparisons with Lionel Messi during his time as an age-group footballer in his homeland.
While the 24-year-old has yet to achieve the heights Messi scaled at the same age, he has made massive strides in the last 12 months, particularly during his loan spell with Lyon. Atletico Madrid signed Almada from Botafogo in the summer transfer window, and he has amassed 209 minutes of game time in three La Liga outings thus far.
A man in demand
Thiago Almada’s stock in the market remains high, and Manchester City may chase his signature next year. Pep Guardiola is the driving force behind the Premier League club’s potential move for the Atletico Madrid attacker, with the former Barcelona manager eager to add a productive attacker to his squad. So, with Tottenham still keen on signing Savinho, Almada can be the Brazilian winger’s long-term replacement.
However, Manchester City will face stiff competition from Barcelona, with the reigning La Liga champions keen on reinforcing their offensive unit next summer. A versatile attacker like Almada fits the mould for a Hansi Flick team, and with Marcus Rashford’s long-term Barcelona future uncertain, Almada can be his replacement.
However, the Catalan giants are worried that Manchester City’s entry onto the scene may hamper their prospects of securing Almada’s services. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the 24-year-old Argentine international amid his links with Barcelona and Manchester City.