Player Guardiola called “intelligent” could now return to Man City as loan move termination considered

Redaction Simon Brett with Billy Meyers
Published on 2024-02-01 15:15:00

According to a report by Le Parisien in France, there is a possibility that Josh Wilson-Esbrand could be heading back to Manchester City as Stade de Reims looks to terminate his loan.

The French club made this decision in anticipation of Sergio Akieme’s permanent transfer and as a move to create space for the Spanish defender.

Wilson-Esbrand was initially sent out on loan for the entire 2023/24 season in July 2023. Despite making 13 appearances for Stade de Reims, it seems that he may not be completing the loan spell. The arrival of Akieme has now put his future in doubt as the club prioritizes giving the Spaniard more playing time.

If his loan is indeed terminated, the 21-year-old, hailed as an “intelligent” footballer by City manager Pep Guardiola, will have to find a new loan destination for the rest of the campaign. He managed to score a goal and provide an assist in his appearances for the French club.

What might be of interest to Guardiola is the fact that Wilson-Esbrand was deployed in the central midfield position twice during his time at Reims, in addition to his regular left-back role.

Given Guardiola’s preference for utilizing full-backs in central midfield, this experience could be valuable for the young English player.

City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain will need to find a new loan arrangement for Wilson-Esbrand should the termination of the agreement go through.

It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds, especially with the looming transfer deadline. This situation is worth monitoring, as it is possible Wilson-Esbrand could switch to another club before the transfer deadline.

Read Original article on Manchester City News