According to a recent report by the Daily Mirror, Manchester City are plotting a move to secure the services of Benjamin Chilwell from Leicester City when the transfer window reopens in January.
The same report has also revealed that the Foxes value him in the region of £50m after the English left-back penned a new £110,000-per-week contract which will keep him at the King Power Stadium until the summer of 2024. Hence, the West Midlands outfit will be under no pressure to sell, but that has not stopped Pep Guardiola from putting Chilwell’s name on his transfer wish-list.
The 21-year-old has been solid at the back for the Foxes over the past couple of years and has been an excellent outlet for them down the left flank. He is a hard-working full-back who is always looking to attack down the wide areas. Chilwell is also a very capable crosser of the ball and can whip in some terrific balls into the opposition box.
With Benjamin Mendy currently out injured, there has been a real concern regarding City’s ability to cope with the Frenchman’s absence. The likes of Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko have often been used as a makeshift left-back in recent weeks, but that approach could backfire in the long-run. Hence, bringing in a new left-back should be Guardiola’s utmost priority during the January transfer window.
The English defensive ace has managed to work his way up the youth ranks at Leicester City before experiencing a brief loan spell with Huddersfield Town. He has established himself as a regular starter under Claude Puel’s stewardship and was a part of the famous Leicester team that won the Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri back in 2016.
The addition of Chilwell will undoubtedly improve Guardiola’s defensive options at the Etihad Stadium. The left-back position has been a problem area for City since Mendy’s injury so it only makes sense for them to bring in a fresh face who can fill in at left-back for the time being. Also, in our opinion, Chilwell is more than capable of challenging Mendy for a place in Guardiola’s starting XI.
Hence, it is a no-brainer for the Citizens, and they should go all out to bring the English full-back to the blue half of Manchester next month.
