With Manchester City’s bid for a 5th consecutive Premier League crumbling apart this season, the Citizens have quickly started to shift into something of a rebuild mode. After a relatively passive off-season in the transfer market, the decline in City’s form this season has sparked renewed interest in their next transfer targets.
After a strong start to the season, everything looked to be on track for City to write more history in the EPL. Then the beginning of November came along and everything started to fall to pieces.
Even ClubSport football prediction models, which analyse the teams’ strength rate to come up with betting tips, had to quickly shift course to take account of the Citizens’ rapid decline.
With injury problems and a squad that appears to have aged rapidly in the last six months, the obvious remedy for them has been to look to the transfer market for solutions. With that, they have been targeting young defensive talent to rebuild from the back.
City Move for Young Brazilian
One of the new players heading to the club is defender Vitor Reis who City have been heavily linked with for a while. Man City have reached an agreement in principle to sign the Palmeiras defender, with the expected transfer to go through soon.
The reported deal is worth £29.4 million, with no bonuses included. This is far from a big name that could solve the immediate defensive issues that have been plaguing Pep Guardiola’s team this season.
But with Reis just 19 years old, could he shape up to be the backbone of Manchester City’s future?
Clubs Track Reis
There were several clubs in the hunt for Reis, including reported interest from Brighton and Real Madrid. Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal all reportedly have had their scouts out for him as well.
But Palmeiras announced in mid-January that an agreement in principle had been reached between themselves and Man City for the young centre half. But what will the youngster bring to the table?
Is He Physically Strong Enough?
There have been suggestions that the defenders’ physicality is going to be an immediate stumbling block to him settling straight in at the club. He’s on the taller side, listed at 1.86m, but is only of a slight frame and doesn’t come with much big-time experience behind him, as Reis has only made 18 league appearances for Palmeiras.
So for him to step straight into the heart of defence for a top side in one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world may not be the right move. Although tall, Reis’s thin frame can be a bit misleading.
In fact, he is very good in the air and can cause defences plenty of problems from attacking set pieces as well. Reis’s youth can bring fresh energy and enthusiasm to the squad, qualities that can revitalise the team.
Being early in his career, he has plenty of potential for growth, and working under Guardiola’s guidance could see him develop into a world-class defender in the years ahead.
Instead of a rushed process, it’s more likely than not going to be about getting him ready for next season. But with key defenders like Ruben Dias sidelined by injuries, City are in the midst of a defensive crisis.
Reis’s swift inclusion in the squad could offer essential depth and create healthy competition for spots in the starting lineup.
Cool and Composed
Reis appears to be a typical Man City centre-back, as he looks cool and composed on the ball. He’s a classy operator with the ball at his feet, and with Guardiola liking the ball to be played out from the back, it’s an obvious quality that any centre-back target is going to have.
Creating time and space on the ball is a big asset of Reis, who has played for Brazil’s youth teams. A highly-rated youngster from a club that has produced young talents like Endrick, Luis Guilherme and Estevao, Reis has been touted as being the future of the centre of Brazil’s defence.
The physicality may not be there, but Reis has great awareness of the game in front of him, and he’s shown an aptitude for carrying the ball out from the back.
One of his most impressive assets is his reading of the game, knowing how to spot and close down spaces or understanding the timing of when to step into a tackle.
Future Partnership
Man City have been making moves to refresh their squad at the back, having already secured the services of Uzbekistan international Abdukodir Khusanov from French side Lens.
The 20-year-old has already agreed to terms at the Etihad and should be able to complete the move soon.
With two centre-backs for the future, Guardiola doesn’t appear to be hitting the transfer market panic button, instead, setting a calculated refresh of the squad in the process.