Manchester Metropolis are making ready to promote a participant Pep Guardiola not too long ago hailed as “necessary” this summer season, with talks over a transfer to Atletico Madrid already underway, in keeping with a brand new report.
Manchester Metropolis drop factors once more in opposition to Brighton
Manchester Metropolis are struggling once more, with Guardiola’s males now having received simply two of their final six video games within the Premier League.
Their most up-to-date setback got here by the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion on the weekend, with the 2 sides taking part in out a 2-2 draw at The Etihad.
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Following Man Metropolis’s underwhelming 2-2 draw with Brighton on Saturday, Pep faces one other conundrum with a full-back in comparison with Zinchenko.
The slip up means Metropolis, who’re fifth, now simply 9 video games left to attempt to qualify for subsequent season’s Champions League. Miss out, and it’ll mark the primary time the Sky Blues have not certified for European soccer’s elite competitors for the primary time for the reason that 2009/10 season.
“9 video games, 9 finals. It appears prefer it [will go down to the last day],” Guardiola stated after his facet’s draw with Brighton. “9 video games nonetheless till the top of the season. Now we have powerful video games.”
Guardiola additionally expressed his sympathies for a lot of his gamers who weren’t concerned within the recreation.
“All of the managers all over the world, they make the choice,” he defined. “They choose the XI it’s as a result of they consider it’s going to win the sport. I by no means discovered a supervisor, by no means ever, that selects 11 gamers and thinks they’re going to lose.”
“Subsequent recreation we’ll see who will play, the best way we’re going to play and with who we’re going to play. I really feel so sorry for all of the gamers that don’t play. What can I say?”
Man Metropolis making ready to promote Kovacic
One participant who wasn’t concerned in opposition to Brighton was midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
The Croatian has usually been used as a stand-in for the injured Rodri this time period, with Guardiola not too long ago hailing his position within the squad as “necessary,” however has been dropped to the bench in latest weeks, with January signing Nico González taking his place.
In line with TEAMtalk, Man Metropolis have now cleared the best way for Kovacic to depart the membership on the finish of the season, with talks a couple of return to Spain already underway.
The publication stories that the previous Actual Madrid man has been attracting curiosity from Atletico Madrid, with the membership having already established contact with the participant and initiated preliminary discussions with Metropolis via oblique channels.
Mateo Kovacic Premier League Stats 2024/25 |
|
Video games |
24 |
Begins |
19 |
Objectives |
4 |
Assists |
1 |
Possibilities Created |
26 |
Cross Accuracy |
93.1% |
Stats by way of FotMob. (Appropriate as of 17/3/25) |
The report states that Metropolis are open to promoting Kovacic, who turns 31 in Might, and could be keen to just accept a payment of round €30 million (£25.2 million) for his companies.
Atletico, in the meantime, are prone to should half methods with some gamers of their very own to facilitate Kovacic’s arrival in the summertime.