Manchester City, under Pep Guardiola, have been a dominant force with high-profile signings and an exciting brand of football. They won the league the last term with record points and are chasing Liverpool vehemently to defend their title. They have worthy alternatives in every slot barring one, and that has now fueled up speculations of yet another potential big-money transfer.
As per TuttoMercatoWeb, City are eyeing a swoop for Napoli midfield general Allan, the 28-year-old Brazilian who is being viewed as a successor of his fellow countryman Fernandinho. But a staggering €100m asking fee might serve as a barrier unless the Serie A side lowers their valuation for the holding midfielder.
Fernandinho has been a long-serving player since completing a £34m transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk back in summer of 2013. He is still integral in City’s midfield setup while orchestrating the whole tempo from a deep-lying role. He blocks and breaks opponents’ moves persistently and pioneers the attacking transition with great vision and passing attributes.
City, however, does not have a back-up of the Selecao international having failed to rope in Jorginho before the inception of the ongoing season. The ex-Napoli midfield star opted to reunite with Maurizio Sarri at the Stamford Bridge leaving Guardiola with little time to switch his sights elsewhere.
Although he is still doing his job with great intellect and composure, the Citizens suffered two massive setbacks against Crystal Palace and Leicester City when the veteran was injured for a few weeks. The defeats not only cost them the leading spot of the league standings but also pointed out the influence of Fernandinho in Pep’s philosophy.
Allan, meanwhile, has proved his worth in Italian football with Udinese and Napoli but is already in his late twenties and too old to be recruited for such hefty money. The likes of Tanguy Ndombele and Frenkie de Jong are more realistic options even though they are being valued among the future sensations of European football.
Fernandinho has a contract at the Etihad until 2020 but would be exhausted in his mid-thirties while contesting for four major competitions. It is highly unlikely for any team to complete the signings of renowned names in January as their respective outfits are reluctant to sanction any potential high-profile switch midway through the current campaign. They all have their season objectives, and the Citizens might have to wait until the summer before tying down their transfer targets.
A move for Allan, therefore, should not be pursued unless there is a drastic dip in the asking price.
