Enzo Maresca is eager to reunite with his former star Malo Gusto from Chelsea, as Manchester City continue their search for a new right-back.
Manchester City are expected to go through what some refer to as a transitional phase following the exit of Pep Guardiola. Regardless of how they fare in the transfer market, their former boss had wanted a new right-back and, as TeamTalk insists, incoming new boss Enzo Maresca could target Malo Gusto from his former side, Chelsea.
A new right-back is widely expected to arrive at Manchester City in the close season, as the incoming new boss looks to bolster the position. Former boss Pep Guardiola wanted a new right-sided full-back in the summer, and the club have already earmarked plenty of targets they like.
Chelsea wide man Malo Gusto is the latest name on their list, and one that clearly looks like a target for Maresca more than anything. The Italian coach spent considerable time with the France international during his time at Stamford Bridge, helping his development and using him mostly as a full-back but occasionally in midfield.
Matheus Nunes is the primary choice at right-back for Manchester City at the moment, as Guardiola oversaw a perfect transition from his midfield position, turning him into one of the top full-backs. Moving forward, the idea is to add competition for places, which could see Rico Lewis depart for a reasonable offer in the summer. As for Gusto, Chelsea will make it extremely difficult to prise him away, given his long-term contract there.
Manchester City had recently considered a move for Pedro Porro, as per reports, and keeping in mind they might go for Premier League-calibre players, Gusto makes sense too. Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento has been a long-term target, as reported by multiple sources, but their final target may come down to how Maresca views the evolution of the role.
The likes of Porro, Livramento, and, to an extent, Gusto are all experienced full-backs with considerable Premier League games under their belts. Gusto, for instance, has made more than 130 appearances for Chelsea, while the others are in a similar range. Alternatively, Manchester City could think about bringing in an unproven and inexperienced player for the right-back role, amid reported links with Atalanta’s Marco Palestra. or Feyenoord’s Givario Read as an example.
The idea of a young player coming in to learn the trade as Nunes’ backup might be a plan that suits the club’s future. However, at the moment, the idea of bringing in an experienced yet young player like Gusto might work in their favour, especially with Maresca at the helm.
