According to latest reports, Manchester City are still keeping a close watch on Amiens midfielder, Tanguy Ndombele. Ndombele appeared in 50 games last term while out on loan to Olympique Marseille and scored once. He set up 8 assists and really proved his attacking pedigree as a developing youngster. The midfielder took to the pitch with a lot of enthusiasm to win back possession when required and also to create his team’s attacks.
The Ligue 1 giants paid €2m for the loan move and also included a buyback clause of €8m. Ndombele is expected to complete a permanent move to the Groupama Stadium this very summer. €8m is pocket change for the European big guns, as evident from the rising interests from Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus as well but Marseille is expected to charge a hefty premium if they decide to let him go any time soon.
He has a quality touch on the ball and good peripheral vision to operate out of tight spots. Standing at 5 feet 11 inches, the defensive enforcer has showcased his maturity and composure for the title-contenders. Ndombele has been capped 9 times for the France U21 side and judging by his recent stints, a move to the Premier League will certainly help his chances of senior team selection. He can fill in as a backup for the 33-year-old Fernandinho at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola has not flinched twice in selecting the Brazilian for almost every single game this past season. Not only has Fernandinho held his own on a consistent basis, City currently does not have an exact replacement for the veteran.
Ilkay Gundogan can appear from deep positions but does not have the same defensive pedigree as the former Shakhtar Donetsk player. David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva are attacking midfielders whose job is to play behind the lone striker.
Yaya Toure has left the side and was only considered for the occasional cup games. While Fernandinho might be fulfilling Pep’s needs at the moment, it is only time before the fatigue of a double season takes a toll on those veteran legs.
City were already in trouble last season when Leroy Sane went down to an injury. Luckily they had Bernard Silva as a backup and could fill out the rest of the campaign without any major hiccups. Guardiola is looking to further bolster the club ranks in order to fill up the Etihad trophy cabinets. Ndombele has the years in front of him to learn the full strengths of Premier League football and a mentor like Fernandinho to learn from.
City have deep enough pockets to take a gamble on the French youngster and move might be sensible.
