According to the latest reports from Corriere dello Sport as cited by Manchester Evening News, Manchester City are looking at AS Roma’s defender Kostas Manolas as a possible centre back option. City are said to be attracted by Greek defender’s release clause which is set at €35m and Roma are in need of selling some players as well.
One can understand why the Citizens are attracted to him as so far they have ignored the likes of Harry Maguire and Matthijs De Ligt for their big price tag. The Roma defender presents Pep Guardiola with a shrewd alternative as Maguire and De Ligt are attracting interest from other clubs as well.
Why City needs a centre back?
Guardiola needs to add a defender to his roster as Vincent Kompany recently departed from the club. The Belgian centre back might not have been a regular due to his injury issues in the past few seasons, but he played some crucial games for his side and still managed to put in some top performances. Nicolas Otamendi is also looking to move away from the club in search of regular game time, so the Spanish manager needs to think about bringing in a centre half.
Is Manolas a good signing?
The 27-year-old defender joined Italian heavyweights AS Roma in 2014 from Olympiacos. Slowly he managed to establish himself in the first eleven, and he became an integral part of their side. Last season, the defender played in 35 games in all competitions.
With Roma missing out on Champions League football, we feel that Manolas can be lured away from the club. He is known for his immaculate reading of the game, and he times his challenges and tackles well. The defender can cope up with the physical side of the game as well, and he would definitely be a reliable option to have at the back.
However, Guardiola demands his defenders to be brave on the ball while building from the back, and that is where Manolas might struggle slightly as the Greek defender is not too comfortable on the ball.
However, with the kind of money being thrown around certain defenders, Manolas can be a top signing for €35m. It really depends on whether Pep wants a first-team option or a backup option. Manolas’ inability to play out from the back could be the deal breaker for the Spanish tactician, and he might want to look at other defenders then. We feel that he will be better than what Kompany and Otamendi have provided in the last few seasons and they should go ahead and sign him.
