According to Marca’s recent print edition (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness), Manchester City are not interested in landing Nelson Semedo from Barcelona this summer. The same source has also claimed that the Portuguese full-back has not been in Pep Guardiola’s radar as he does not fit the profile that the Man City boss is looking for during the summer transfer period. It is believed that ‘everything points’ towards the Citizens retaining Joao Cancelo’s services beyond this summer which could mean that they won’t need to sign a replacement for him in this off-season (via Marca).
Semedo’s Rise To Prominence At Catalonia
The Lisboa-born full-back has proven himself to be an influential member of the Catalans’ squad over the past few seasons. He has featured in 29 matches for Quique Setien’s side this term, providing five assists in multiple competitions which highlight his excellent creativity in the attacking third of the field.
The 26-year-old has found some consistency with his all-round efforts for Barca down the right flank after producing several eye-catching displays for them over the past nine months. The Portuguese dribbler has averaged 2.0 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.7 clearances and 1.4 dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga this season. He has improved his numbers in Europe after averaging 3.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 1.6 clearances and 1.8 dribbles in the five UEFA Champions League games he has been a part of so far (stats via whoscored).
Semedo has also made 14 senior appearances for the Portuguese national team but has still not scored his first international goal for his homeland. If the former Benfica talent can show a few signs of improvement next season, then he might have a decent shot at securing a permanent place in Fernando Santos’ first-team for next year’s UEFA European Championship finals following the competition’s deferral due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Does The Barca Wide Player Offer On The Pitch?
Semedo has decent pace and agility in his locker, which he can utilise to make some dangerous runs out on the wide areas. He possesses excellent ball-control and has the burst of speed required to get past his marker in the opposition half. The Portuguese international can work his socks off to eat up a lot of ground when making recovering runs inside his own half. He is generally a reliable defender at the back because of his tenacity to win back possession for his team.
Semedo is often quick to read the danger that allows him to pull off a few instrumental last-gasp clearances during a game. However, he is far from a dominant presence in the air which indicates that he might struggle to cope with the physicality of English football.
Is Guardiola Making A Big Mistake By Not Opting To Land Semedo This Summer?
The Sintrense youth product would have not only added more pace and creativity to Guardiola’s first-team but also enhanced the overall depth of his squad. Plus, his presence would have also kept Kyle Walker on his toes in the race to secure a permanent right-back spot at the Etihad Stadium in the upcoming campaign.
At the same time, Cancelo is also good enough to offer Walker some healthy competition if the Citizens end up retaining his services beyond this summer. Therefore, if Guardiola believes he can get the best out of the ex-Juventus full-back, then it seems like he is making the right call by not considering a move for Semedo in this off-season.
