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Published November 26, 2024 10:15am Updated November 26, 2024 10:15am
Manchester City have joined Arsenal and Liverpool in the transfer race to sign €60m Spain star Martin Zubimendi in January, according to reports.
Zubimendi looked set to join Liverpool when they agreed to meet the midfielder’s €60m (£51m) release clause in the summer – but he rejected their advances – and instead signed a new contract at Real Sociedad.
The Reds have not given up on a deal for Zubimendi while Arsenal remain long-term admirers of the Spain international, with recent reports indicating they are ready to pay the 25-year-old’s release clause too.
But according to the Daily Mail, Premier League champions City are now considering their own move for Zubimendi in the January transfer window.
Pep Guardiola’s side are keen to freshen up their aging squad while injury to superstar Rodri has only accelerated their need for a new midfielder.
Zubimendi, who helped Spain win Euro 2024 earlier this year, fits the bill perfectly but the La Liga star isn’t the only player City are looking at.
He is actually one of two midfielders City are keeping tabs on with the Manchester club also monitoring Atalanta midfielder Ederson.
Ederson, not to be confused with the City goalkeeper of the same name, has impressed at Atalanta since joining the Italian side two years ago.
The 25-year-old eared his first two international caps for Brazil this year and helped Atalanta clinch the Europa League title last term.
Manchester United are also thought to be keen on Ederson, who has been described as a player with a ‘strong personality’.
‘[He is a] strong, well-built central midfielder,’ South American football expert Tim Vickery told Sky Sports earlier this year.
‘Strong on the ball, versatile, box-to-box. Strong personality as well. The first time I remember him was his professional debut really.
‘He was thrown in the deep end in a big team called Cruzeiro, who were really on the slide. They were relegated in dreadful form and even in this bad context, he stood out, so a lot of virtues.’
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