Manchester City will reportedly face a tough competition from fierce rivals Manchester United in their pursuit of Fulham’s teen sensation Ryan Sessegnon. Pep Guardiola has made the 16-year-old one of his prime targets in the summer and given the Spaniard’s affinity towards young emerging talents, we expect a bidding war to ensue soon.
Apart from United, Liverpool are also an admirer of the kid and would take their chances in the deal. Sessegnon has earned some rave reviews in the Championship this season owing to his scintillating displays in the left-back role. And given the huge crisis in the full-back roles in English top flight football, Fulham could earn a fortune disposing of their prized possession.
City have their own defensive problems. Guardiola has inherited players at City who were bought by Manuel Pellegrini and he is aiming a major revamp to the side. The existing players are old and have found it difficult to adapt to his tactical blueprint, especially on the ball. Guardiola’s tactics involve passing the football and having most of the possession, which has been best executed by young players so far, as is evident from Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
Hence, the likes of Gael Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna and Aleksandar Kolarov are facing uncertainties concerning their future at the Etihad next season. Guardiola has a list of young talents waiting to be picked up this summer with Sessegnon being one of them.
And his admiration for the player is totally justified. Sessegnon is known primarily for his raw pace on that left flank, which makes him tremendously effective while on the attack and also when recovering ground from getting back. And his sublime technique at such a tender age makes him a cherished raw product waiting to be polished.
He has been compared by many to Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Sessegnon’s twist and turns and a bag full of trickeries make him increasingly familiar to the Welsh international. Although he is not a huge frame yet at 16, it never deterred him from going into tackles. What he will bring to City is versatility. At 16, he has hardly found a fixed position to play in and will be moulded the exact way Guardiola wants him. However, given his agility, the manager too would prefer him in wide areas.
As soon as he signs the professional contract at Craven Cottage, the Cottagers could demand a huge fee for him.
