Manchester City are now showing concrete interest in a defender, whose price tag has now dropped by £12.5m, but there may be competition for his signature from Real Madrid, according to a report.
Kyle Walker joining AC Milan on loan last month could spell the end for the right-back at the Etihad Stadium, and Pep Guardiola has started to work on finding a replacement, with widespread reports linking Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento with a move.
Not only is Pep looking to strengthen at right-back, but the manager is also keen to bolster his options on the opposite side, with Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso remaining on the list of targets, having been interested in signing the Italian during the January window.
Other left-backs to be considered by City in recent times include Paris Saint Germain’s Nuno Mendes and AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez, with Pep seemingly looking to bring in competition for Josko Gvardiol.
There has now been a new update on the Sky Blues’ pursuit of Hernandez, with TEAMtalk revealing the left-back is now likely to leave AC Milan this summer, with the Italian club slashing their asking price from £41.5m to £29.5m.
Amid the £12m price drop, Man City are now showing concrete interest in the left-back, who is now climbing higher on their shortlist, with the £29.5m fee considered a fair price.
The only potential issue is the fact Real Madrid have also expressed an interest in the Frenchman, and he would be open to a return to the Bernabeu, having spent two years with the Spanish side earlier in his career.
Throughout his career, the Milan defender has consistently provided an attacking threat, despite almost exclusively featuring at left-back, providing seven goals and six assists in the Serie A during the 2020-21 campaign.
Freelance Ben Mattinson has described the former Madrid man as “electric fast”, while also branding him “the best attacking LB in the world”, so it is promising news he could be available for just £29.5m this summer.
Although the report states the France international’s form has dipped this season, he has remained a key player for Milan, and he has continued to provide a consistent attacking threat over the past year.
Not only does the defender impress on the front foot, but he has also received praise for his defensive work in the past too, being lauded by CBS’ Marco Messina.
As such, Hernandez could be a fantastic signing for City this summer, and given that his price tag has fallen significantly, they should definitely pursue a move.
