Manchester City are now set to submit a £34m offer for a defender, according to journalist Andre Hernan.
Man City keen on multiple January signings
Pep Guardiola is tasked with rebuilding the Man City defence, with it recently being revealed that captain Kyle Walker wants to leave the club, having been left out of the squad for the 8-0 demolition of Salford City.
The Sky Blues are particularly keen on a new centre-back, having a £33.5m bid accepted for Lens’ Abdukodir Khusanov, and the deal is now nearing completion.
Guardiola is keen to make multiple additions this month, with progress being made for Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush, whereas Palmeiras’ defensive gem Vitor Reis is another key target.
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City’s opening bid for Reis was knocked back by the Brazilian club, but they remain undeterred, with journalist Ben Jacobs revealing they are optimistic about being able to get a deal over the line.
As such, Man City have taken immediate action to try and get a deal done, with journalist Andre Hernan taking to X to provide an update on the transfer pursuit, saying: “I heard from a negotiation source who says this was just a first offer and that it will increase in the coming days.”
The journalist states the Sky Blues’ initial offer for the defender was considered too low, but they are willing to make an offer of €40m (£34m) to get a deal over the line. Palmeiras are said to be in “no rush” to finalise the move, indicating that a deal may not be possible until later in the January transfer window.
Reis could be a long-term success at Man City
The 19-year-old is already making a name for himself in his home country, having made 18 appearances in the Brazilian Serie A this season, and his defensive talents have been on show for all to see.
Over the past year, the Brazilian has averaged 1.87 tackles per 90, placing him in the 81st percentile compared to his positional peers, while an average of 3.08 aerials won per 90 ranks him in the 82nd percentile.
Of course, given that he is still a teenager, it may take time for Reis to get to a level where he’s capable of being a consistent starter for Guardiola’s side, but there are signs that he could soon be ready to make the step-up.
Members of the Brazilian media have lauded the starlet as a “monster”, while journalist Bence Bocsak has hailed him for his passing ability, which could make him a perfect fit in a Guardiola system.
£34m is a lot to spend on a teenager, but Reis is showing signs he could be capable of going right to the very top.