REPORT: Man City Identify Malo Gusto Alternative Who Enzo Maresca Admires ‘Massively’
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Man City are interested in signing Brentford defender Michael Kayode, according to reports.
The Cityzens have been looking for a new right-back for quite some time, and they showed interest in Chelsea’s Malo Gusto during the summer transfer window.
However, the Frenchman’s £70m price tag reportedly put them off from making a move, and it now appears the club have identified a viable alternative.
TEAMtalk claim that head coach Enzo Maresca admires Kayode “massively” and would be behind bringing the Italian international to the Etihad Stadium.
Man City will face fierce competition for the fullback
It is believed that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been monitoring Kayode, having scouted him regularly last season.
At the moment, it does look like City have the most active interest, but Brentford are unlikely to sanction the 22-year-old’s departure for a low fee.
The Bees paid €17.5m to secure Kayode’s services on a permanent basis in May last year after a successful six-month loan spell at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Reports suggest that the right-back is likely to cost more than double that amount now, having signed a new contract back in July. His valuation could be as high as £40m to £50m.
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Will the Premier League FFP ruling affect Kayode’s transfer?
At the moment, City are going through the appeal process, and it seems the club’s recruitment team are acting as if it is business as usual until a final decision is reached.
Of course, if Maresca’s team receive a transfer ban, or in the worst-case scenario, a relegation, it would impact any attempt to sign Kayode in the future. For now, the club are maintaining their interest in the Italian.