Could Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola sign Brentford's Michael Kayode? | National World / Getty Imagesplaceholder image
Could Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola sign Brentford's Michael Kayode? | National World / Getty Images | National World / Getty Images
Pep Guardiola’s only options at right-back are Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes
Antoine Semenyo’s already had an immediate impact in sky blue after his £65 million move from Bournemouth, though he’ll need to continue in that form for the rest of the season if Pep Guardiola’s side are to catch Arsenal in the title race. They could certainly use a backup striker to Erling Haaland given Omar Marmoush has failed to fire following his £59m move from Eintracht Frankfurt, with no other specialist centre-forwards in the squad.
Marmoush has dropped from scoring a goal every 103 minutes in his final half-season at Eintracht Frankfurt to one every 473 minutes this campaign, and the last time he scored against top-flight opposition was May. Haaland accounts for half of his side’s Premier League goals while Phil Foden is the only other Citizen representative in the top 20 scorers - Brentford have as many representatives in that selection.
However, there is still time for Marmoush to come good and should the worst happen and Haaland were to get injured, a run in the first team may actually help the Egyptian rediscover his best form. Even Manchester City can’t afford to write off £59m players in the space of 12 months (though they can afford to give the British-record goalkeeper signing the same treatment).
Instead, right-back will be at the top of their shopping list this season, with Rico Lewis falling out of favour and Matheus Nunes playing out of position there for most of the campaign. And Brentford’s Michael Kayode would be a dream target.
Michael Kayode can revive Man City’s title charge
Tottenham were urged to sign Kayode for £17m in 2024 by Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (per Football Today) but he instead opted for Brentford, and he’s since turned into one of the most exciting full-backs in the Premier League. So naturally Manchester City are interested in him. There’s also an element of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ - Kayode has embodied the 2025/26 season by channelling his inner Rory Delap. Matheus Nunes has performed well at right-back this season, but the 27-year-old remains a midfielder first and foremost.
Kayode’s fantastic with the ball at his feet, in the top 6% of Premier League full-backs for successful take-ons per game according to Opta via FBref throw-ins, and he’s a beast in the air in both penalty areas. Kayode wouldd dovetail fantastically with Foden on the right and his long throws could be an absolutely lethal asset when paired with Erling Haaland, but would Brentford be willing to let him go at such a pivotal point of such a pivotal season?
Would Brentford let go of Kayode?
Not without a fight. In a season that started with many predicting they’d be relegated, The Bees are squarely in the fight for European qualification and if they can keep up this form, they could even snag a Champions League spot. You’d expect that at least one of Manchester United, Chelsea or Newcastle United will eventually kick into gear but we’ve been waiting the entire season for that and it’s not happened yet.
Additionally the Magpies, Blues, Liverpool and Aston Villa are all set to advance to the knockout stages in Europe and remain alive in the FA Cup so will have packed schedules in the second half of the season so Brentford’s continental dream is closer to reality than you might expect. Losing such a key player at this stage would be a hammer-blow, but Brentford remain a selling club and the financial model that’s brought them to the brink of Europe is one that necessitates they must accept an offer they can’t refuse.
So if Manchester City offer over £40m or £50m, or Matthew Benham wakes up with a horse’s head in his bed, he will be sorely tempted. City could even sign Kayode for a slightly reduced fee then loan him back to Brentford for the remainder of the season, as Manchester United did with Wilfried Zaha in 2013.
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