5 Left-backs for Manchester City who would cost less than Marc Cucurella
Ever since Pep Guardiola joined Manchester City, the Spaniard has lacked a world-class left-back at his disposal. During his stint at the Etihad, Guardiola has seen midfielders such as Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko filling in at left-back.
While Benjamin Mendy was signed for a hefty price to help ease City’s issues down the left side, his injuries and antics off the field have hardly ever helped him cement his berth in the playing XI.
Thus, Marc Cucurella has emerged as the latest target for the Sky Blues. However, Brighton and Hove Albion are reluctant to part ways with the youngster. Having signed the Spaniard in 2021 for a fee of £15m from Getafe, the Seagulls have slapped a price tag of £50m on Cucurella.
City value him somewhere close to £30m, and in the past, if need be, they have walked away from players deemed too expensive as seen with the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Harry Maguire and Fred.
Cucurella’s currently valued at €28m by Transfermarkt, and even though the La Masia graduate would be a shrewd acquisition, here are five left-backs Man City could sign, who would cost less than Cucurella.
#5 Nuno Tavares – €15m
The Portuguese youngster could be a potential target for City and he’d be one for the future as he’s just 22, but the only downside to Nuno Tavares would be his lack of experience in the Premier League.
Valued at €15m, he’d be well within the Sky Blues’ transfer budget, but in the short-term, Tavares wouldn’t be able to usurp Joao Cancelo in the playing XI. Kieran Tierney’s injury woes last season meant that Tavares got plenty of minutes under his belt in his first season at Arsenal.
However, he’s not a finished product by any means. Serie-A side Atalanta has been looking to secure a loan move for the former Benfica man, and City could also chip in, but perhaps they would be wise to look for a player with a higher ceiling.
#4 Tyrick Mitchell – €25m
Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell has graduated through the club’s academy and at 22-year-old, he already has racked up 59 appearances in the Premier League. The Jamaican impressed under Patrick Viera last season, and his ability to maraud forward down the left flank could be an asset for Guardiola’s style of offensive play.
Mitchell is currently valued at €25m, and he has four years left on his current deal, which could be a stumbling block in a potential deal. Moreover, Palace would likely not want to part ways with the youngster just yet, given he’s one of the core players on Viera’s side.
His attacking output still leaves a lot to be desired as Guardiola is very demanding from his full-backs, so that could be another reason why Mitchell won’t be one of the priority names on City’s backup options, should they look for alternatives for Cucurella.
#3 Angelino – €30m
Angelino came through the Man City academy but fell behind Zinchenko in the pecking order
A former Man City academy product, the Etihad faithful would know all about Angelino. The 25-year-old has impressed during his stay with RB Leipzig and even though he wasn’t able to make the cut under Guardiola before, they could consider him as one of the backup options.
Even though Angelino’s value stands at €30m City would potentially be able to agree to a cut-price deal having only just sold him to the Bundesliga giants back in 2021.
Whether the Spaniard would like to return back to England however, remains to be seen, given the fact that he left the Cityzens, seeking regular game time.
#2 Filip Kostic – €24m
Even though Filip Kostic plays further forward in the midfield for Eintracht Frankfurt, he could be an ideal attacking wing-back for Man City, and he would be readily available given his contract is up next year.
The 29-year-old would represent an instant competition to Cancelo, given his profile and experience but he has been linked to West Ham United as well, so Guardiola and Co would have to act swiftly.
The Serbian lacks Premier League experience which could be a potential turn-off for Man City and if they are looking for a long-term solution to that left-back berth, Kostic wouldn’t be ideal in that sense, given he turns 30 in November later this year.
#1 Kieran Tierney – €32m
Kieran Tierney will rival Oleksandar Zinchenko and Nuno Tavares for game time
In terms of age and profile, Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney would represent perfect value for money as he’d bring ample Premier League experience, along with a high ceiling. He’s left-footed and can play in multiple positions which would be a long-term solution.
The Cityzens has done multiple deals with the Gunners this summer so negotiating a deal for Tierney would be easy, however, the fee could be an issue. The 25-year-old has five years left on his current deal and he’s valued at €32m.
While he could cost City in the same region as Cucurella, having played for a club of Arsenal’s stature, the Scotsman would have little problems adjusting to the City project.
His injury record could be a headache for any potential suitors, but in hindsight, it could also be the reason why the Gunners would part ways with him, should the Sky Blues churn up a good financial package.