Soccer Football - Primeira Liga - Benfica v Sporting CP - Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal - December 3, 2021 Benfica's Alejandro Grimaldo in action with Sporting CP's Pedro Porro REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola, coming amid their rejected bid for Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella, may have been handed the chance to sign an alternative.
The Lowdown: City knocked back…
The Premier League champions, looking to succeed faithful servant Oleksandr Zinchenko who is on his way to Arsenal, have apparently identified Cucurella as their top target.
Reports over the last few days indicated that the Sky Blues have been set to open official talks to sign the Spaniard with Fabrizio Romano lifting the lid on an incoming bid recently.
That offer has apparently been submitted already, said to be around £30 million, with The Athletic stating it has been swiftly rejected by Brighton.
The Latest: Cucurella alternative emerges…
Amid this bad news for City and Guardiola, inews reporter Mark Douglas has detailed a potential ‘alternative’ for sporting director Txiki Begiristain.
Indeed, according to his sources, Benfica left-back Alejandro Grimaldo has been ‘offered’ out to the Eastlands side.
City are apparently among other top flight sides who have also been approached over signing the 26-year-old.
The Verdict: Make the move?
Grimaldo, called ‘one of the best five left-backs in Europe‘ by Benfica’s sporting director Tiago Pinto, has certainly displayed his quality and somewhat justified that tag over 2021/2022.
As per WhoScored, the defender stood out as a key player for the Portuguese giants – ranking as one of their top-five best performers domestically last season.
Grimaldo also proved a real threat on the left-hand side, making more key passes per 90 on average than any player in Benfica’s squad, showing the type of creativity and technical quality Guardiola demands from his full-backs.
A mainstay also, City could be in a strong negotiating position for the Spaniard given he is entering the final year of his deal.
Going by the numbers and Grimaldo’s contract situation, Guardiola and Begiristain may want to consider a move carefully.
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