According to reports from the Guardian, Manchester City are said to be stepping up their pursuit to sign Napoli’s midfield ace Fabian Ruiz. The reigning Premier League champions had sent scouts to catch him in action in the Champions League tie against Salzburg which Napoli won 3-2.
The midfielder used to ply his trade for Real Betis before moving to Serie A side Napoli in 2018. Ruiz has also featured for Spain’s national team and is seen as a considerable talent. La Liga heavyweights like Barcelona and Real Madrid are also said to be watching his development.
Napoli chairman on selling Ruiz
Napoli chairman though realises what a big talent Ruiz is at the moment. Recently he made his intentions clear that the Spanish international will not leave for cheap. Napoli chairman, Aurelio De Laurentiis, said last week: “I paid €30m for Fabián, and he’s a fantastic player. If some of the top European clubs were to offer €180m, we can start talking about selling him.”
The €180m price mark was probably said more in jest, but Laurentiis wouldn’t look to sell him away for cheap.
What can Ruiz bring to the Etihad?
The 23-year-old is known for his exemplary ball control, and his spatial awareness on the pitch is second to none. He hardly gives the ball away in midfield, and it is understandable why a manager like Guardiola would want him at the club. Given the way the Citizens like to dominate the possession, Ruiz will be an ideal fit in the middle.
He also has the vision to produce clever passes which can open up the defence. An ability like that will always be handy to play against low block teams that like to defend deep with numbers behind the ball.
Should Guardiola go for him?
As mentioned, we think that Ruiz can be a tailor-made signing for Guardiola. With David Silva in his last season at the Etihad, Ruiz can be a long term replacement for him at the club. However, the signing of a player like Ruiz would spell bad news for someone like Phil Foden, who is being seen as a natural heir to Silva. A ball-playing midfielder coming in might mean that Guardiola still doesn’t trust the young English ace enough to take the mantle from Silva.
We think that Guardiola can avoid signing Ruiz as he will cost millions in the transfer market and someone like Foden deserves a chance in the team from next season after Silva departs.
