Man City, Sky Blues, Premier League, Pep Guardiola. Stanislav Lobotka
Manchester City have made contact to sign Napoli star Stanislav Lobotka, according to journalist Ciro Venerato on live TV.
The Lowdown: Sky Blues soaring…
The Premier League champions have enjoyed a soaring start to the 2022/23 campaign as they seek to retain their domestic crown for a third successive season. City currently top the charts for most goals scored and fewest conceded and are the only team in England’s top flight who remain undefeated.
Pep Guardiola’s men have begun the campaign in brilliant fashion, spearheaded by marquee summer signing Erling Haaland and boyhood City fan Phil Foden, who have arguably been the standout performers at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite the fine balance of this squad, sporting director Txiki Begiristain is still tasked with improving it off the field, and a claim has emerged on a new transfer target.
The Latest: Venerato makes Lobotka claim live on TV…
Speaking on live on TV channel Luna, during the Il Salone del Calcio program, Italian reporter Venerato has now claimed that City have made contact to sign Napoli star Lobotka.
When asked about the Slovakian’s contract situation, he explained (via Area Napoli): “There is confidence between the parties for a successful conclusion of the deal. Lobotka’s agent will have received at least two phone calls: one from Chelsea, the other from Manchester City.”
The Verdict: Is he needed?
Lobotka’s quality is undeniable, with members of the press even claiming that he has become ‘incisive‘ and a ‘scandalous midfielder’ under Walter Mazzarri this season.
According to WhoScored, the defensive midfielder stands out as Napoli’s most composed player in terms of passing with an impressive 94.9% accuracy, the highest out of any of his team-mates.
He is also Napoli’s most fouled player on average and boasts their second-highest rate of tackles per 90, highlighting how Lobotka can be a real nightmare for an opponent to handle (WhoScored).
However, the presence of two world-class defensive midfielders in Rodri and Kalvin Phillips does question the need to sign the Napoli powerhouse, not to mention that club captain Ilkay Gundogan can also play in that role when required.
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