According to a report from Manchester Evening News, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Aston Villa are all interested in signing Atletico Madrid right-back Nahuel Molina. Molina’s representatives are scheduled to meet with Atletico Madrid in the coming weeks to discuss his future.
It is rumoured that Molina has a release clause in his contract, but the exact amount is unknown. Some reports have suggested that the release clause is €90 million, but this has not been confirmed.
Molina’s Impressive Run Of Form
The right-back who won the World Cup with Argentina last year has been on an impressive run of form. He scored four goals and provided four assists in 43 appearances last season, and he also scored on his only appearance this season.
The Argentine defender averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.4 clearances and 1.2 key passes per game in La Liga in his last campaign and is expected to produce an even better performance this season. He was also efficient in his ball distribution after completing 79.4% of his attempted passes in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).
His contract at the Wanda Metropolitan runs until the summer of 2025 which means the Spanish outfit are in no hurry to sell him.
Should Guardiola Bring Him To Manchester City?
Molina is a solid right-back and he doesn’t mind putting his foot into a tackle. He remains young and athletic, and has the potential to become one of the best in his position. The Argentina international is also versatile and can play on the wing. This would be a valuable asset to Pep Guardiola’s defensive department, who are currently in need of a new right-back following Joao Cancelo’s recent development.
The 25-year-old would be a decent fit for Guardiola’s system, who lack a traditional full-back in terms of someone who can play out from the wide areas. His arrival would bring more depth to the squad and give Guardiola more options for his tactical setup.
Nonetheless, Molina is likely to be expensive if the rumours regarding his release clause are confirmed, which is a lot of money for a right-back. However, City are not afraid to spend money on players, and they may be willing to pay the price for Molina should Guardiola push for a deal next summer.
