According to the latest reports from Goal, Manchester City haven’t completely called off their interest in Leicester City’s fullback Ben Chilwell. Reports around the end of April emerged that Guardiola is satisfied with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s performance and he was set to give Benjamin Mendy another chance to prove his fitness in the upcoming season.
However, the Premier League champions are set to remain interested in Chilwell, and they could return for him in January 2020. Chilwell meantime is also linked with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid so City would hope that he is at the King Power Stadium until January if they do decide to go after him.
Therefore Guardiola is going to give himself half a season to see whether the likes of Zinchenko and Mendy can perform at the level he wants them at. Zinchenko is likely going to be the first choice left back for the next season. The Ukranian only got his chances when Fabian Delph and Benjamin Mendy were suffering from injuries. Zinchenko who is more of a midfielder fitted in well as the left back and did an excellent job in that role.
What can Chilwell bring at the Etihad?
It was largely expected that City would go after Chilwell in this window. The Leicester City left-back has seen a meteoric rise in the last few seasons, and there is no doubt to us that he would fit in well in Guardiola’s team. The English defender is known for his impressive forward runs as he drives the ball with intensity and pace.
He can provide some cracking crosses from the flank and defensively too, he can hold his own. Spanish heavyweights like Real Madrid rarely try to bring in young players from England, and that showcases that there must be something special in Chilwell.
Is Guardiola taking a risk by not going after Chilwell now?
We expect Leicester City to play hardball against any team that comes to take away their left back. It is a kind of a risk, but we feel that Chilwell is likely to stay at the King Power Stadium. Real Madrid recently signed Ferland Mendy from Lyon who is a left back, so we don’t see them coming hard after Chilwell now.
So Guardiola’s major threat of Chilwell leaving this summer is over, and he can now return for him in January if he is not satisfied with Mendy and Zinchenko.
