Manchester City are looking to sign an exciting young gem who has been described as the next Ousmane Dembele, according to a new report.
Dembele thriving at Paris Saint-Germain
After years of failing to live up to the £135.5 million fee that Barcelona paid Borussia Dortmund for him, Ousmane Dembele is finally proving just why he was once considered one of the best young players in the world.
Sadly for Barcelona, however, he's not doing it for them, but instead for Paris Saint-Germain, whom he joined in the summer of 2023.
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After a solid first season in the French capital, Dembele has kicked into overdrive this term, having scored 30 goals and provided six assists in all competitions, which is by far and away the best return of his career.
Not only has his goal return put him firmly in the race for the European Golden Shoe, but has helped storm into a now-insurmountable lead in Ligue 1, as well as the Champions League quarterfinals.
Speaking about the 27-year-old back in February after PSG beat Brest in the Champions League, former Chelsea and Liverpool star Joe Cole described him as Europe's current best player.
"Dembele, they've got probably the most in-form player, let alone winger, in European football," said Cole, according to TNT Sports. "And when he's on form, with his attributes, he's unstoppable."
PSG head coach Luis Enique, meanwhile, said of Dembele: "Ousmane is in a huge moment of confidence and he's now like the PlayStation [player] with the light above him!"
Man City want the next Dembele
While Dembele will no doubt be high on the wish list of many of Europe's big clubs this summer, he's unlikely to be going anywhere – both because of his good form in Paris and the fact his contract runs until 2028.
So instead, one of those clubs, Manchester City, seem to have turned their attention to his proposed successor – 15-year-old wonderkid Johan Martinez, as they look to the future under Pep Guardiola.
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Man City have plenty of talented youngsters waiting to make their breakthrough for the senior side
According to Football Insider, Man City have set their sights on Martinez ahead of a potential summer swoop, having impressed the club's scouts.
Dubbed very exciting in the report, Martinez plays as a winger in the academy of Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle – the same academy from which Chelsea's Moises Caicedo emerged – and has been likened to Dembele because of his skill and ability to play with both feet.
Liverpool and Brighton are also interested in Martinez, as are some clubs from Germany and Italy, according to a separate report from TEAMTalk's Rudy Galetti,
Of course, at such a young age, it's impossible to tell right now quite just how Martinez will develop, however, all signs point to a promising future.
One thing's for sure, though, if City do land him, they'll be hoping he can be closer to the Dembele of PSG and Dortmund, rather than the Dembele of Barcelona.