Man City Eye January Swoop For £34M Rated La Liga Star – Maresca Has ‘Formally Asked’ The Club To Sign Him
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Man City could make a move for Real Betis centre-back Natan during the January transfer window, according to reports.
Ficherio claim an approach for the Brazilian would be at the behest of head coach Enzo Maresca, who has “formally asked” the club to sign him.
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It is believed that Natan first came to the attention of Maresca when he was managing Chelsea in the Conference League.
The two clubs faced each other in the final of the competition, which Maresca’s side won 4-1.
Despite the heavy defeat, it appears Natan’s performance still impressed the Italian. He is predominantly left-footed and uses his physicality to win individual duels; traits which would allow him to get minutes for City.
Betis have set Natan’s asking price
The 25-year-old still has more than three and a half years left on his contract, so he won’t be leaving the Spanish side on the cheap.
City would need to match Natan’s €40m (£34m) valuation, which isn’t a massive sum in today’s market, even for a centre-half.
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Man City is not the player’s first choice
Ficherio report that while Natan does appreciate interest from the Premier League club, his preference would be to stay in La Liga, with Barcelona also keeping tabs on him.
The Catalan giants reportedly made enquiries about the defender last summer, although they did not formalise their interest by making an offer.
That could change in January, but for now, it appears as if City are the ones likeliest to make a move for Natan. It is a transfer story to keep a close eye on over the coming weeks and months.