Report: Manchester City ‘thinking of a formula’ to sign Portuguese talent valued at €60m

Manchester City have reportedly ‘advance’ to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Matheus Nunes ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

Nunes became a hot topic of conversation amongst football fans across the globe in recent weeks, after Pep Guardiola described the midfielder as ‘one of the best players in the world’ when speaking after the Champions League round of 16 first-leg in Portugal last month.

The 23-year old youngster is a very dynamic central midfielder who can impose himself in the middle of the park and can also push the team forward.

Pep Guardiola is reportedly an admirer of Nunes and believes he has the credentials to operate as ether a defensive midfielder or in a more advanced-midfield role.

A recent report had claimed that club officials from both Manchester City and Sporting CP had a conversation about the highly-rated midfielder, who has a release clause of €60m (£50.3m) but could be sold for €40m (£33.5m).

Sporting are understood to want close to that amount if they’re to agree to a deal. It is so believed that they are open to the idea of any interested parties paying some of the fee in bonus-related instalments.

According to the latest information of Portuguese newspaper A Bola as relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester City are now thinking of a formula to get the player signed for as little as possible.

The report states that due to the good relationship and partnership between the two clubs, an alternative is to include three players in the deal and get the fee reduced.

The three players as per the report are Pedro Porro who Sporting are about to trigger the €8.5m buying option they have over him, Talles Magno, who now plays for New York City, and Ante Palaversa, who is currently on loaned to Kortrijk.

Time will tell if City make bring him to the Etihad Stadium, however, they aren’t short of defensive midfielders with Fernandinho and Rodri at their disposal, though the Premier League leaders may have to identify a replacement for the former as he turns 37 in May and will be out of contract in the coming months.

The Sporting no. 8 has made 25 starts and two substitute appearances in the Portuguese league so far this season, scoring two goals and given two assists in those games. He also has two assists in six Champions League games this campaign.