Man City faced with competition in signing exceptional target in transfer race

Manchester City is reportedly in competition with another of Europe’s most prestigious clubs to secure one of their transfer targets this summer.

The Blues acquired two relatively youthful players from foreign clubs for substantial sums of money during the previous summer transfer window.

To be more precise, the club spent £77 million on Josko Gvardiol and £55 million on Jeremy Doku.

Given that the upcoming summer transfer window is imminent, there is new information regarding an additional juvenile player that Manchester United is considering, who could also incur a substantial fee if they were to sign him.

In the pursuit of Monaco midfielder Maghnes Akliouche, RB Leipzig has now joined City, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid, according to a recent report from L’Equipe.

The report also indicates that Monaco’s CEO, Thiago Scuro, recently stated that the club’s objective is to retain Akliouche for at least another season, which suggests that it will likely require a substantial transfer fee to secure the 22-year-old.

The midfielder has since contributed nine goals and five assists in 53 games across all competitions, following his three goals and three assists in 17 appearances for Monaco’s U21 team.

Akliouche has the third-highest number of key passes (38) in the Monaco squad and the second-highest rate of shot-creating actions made per 90 minutes (4.91) with 28 Ligue 1 games under his credit this season.

In addition, he has the second-highest percentage of shots on target (61.1%) among players who have scored more than one league goal at the French club, with 22 of his 36 shots being targeted.

Jacek Kulig, a talent recruiter, emphasized these qualities on Akliouche’s X account in August 2022.

He said, “Maghnes Akliouche is an advanced playmaker with a silky touch, a technical, creative, and composed approach, exceptional passing and vision skills, and the ability to maneuver in tight spaces. He is La Diagonale’s finest” A delightful performer.

Considering all of this, it is not difficult to understand why numerous prominent clubs in Europe are interested in signing the midfielder this summer.

Following his “unusual” season, a somewhat unexpected statistic regarding a Manchester City player has been disclosed.

As a result of its historic fourth consecutive Premier League title, 2023/24 was another successful campaign for the club.

This occurred subsequent to the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

Manchester City was unable to defend their Champions League title, as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Real Madrid on penalties. This was followed by City’s defeat in the FA Cup final to Manchester United.

However, it was a satisfactory season in comparison to the apex of the 2022/23 season, when the team achieved the coveted Treble.

Numerous athletes experienced exceptional seasons. Midfield lynchpin Rodri had yet another strong campaign, and Phil Foden was named Player of the Season.