Manchester City battling Liverpool for €25M-rated La Liga defender identified as Kyle Walker replacement | OneFootball

Manchester City are interested in signing Andrei Ratiu from Rayo Vallecano in the summer transfer window, as per a new report.

The Premier League champions will introduce a host of new names to their first-team after what has been a largely disappointing season marred by injuries and a lack of form across the pitch, with Pep Guardiola’s side fighting for a top-four league finish.

Hugo Viana officially began work this week as the Portuguese prepares to take over from Txiki Begiristain as Manchester City sporting director – though the latter has postponed his departure from the Etihad Stadium until the end of the summer transfer window to aid his heir with the transition.

City will see Kevin De Bruyne leave the club after the Belgian midfielder’s 10th season in Manchester after the 33-year-old announced this will be his final season at the club, with Kyle Walker also expected to leave permanently after the end on his ongoing loan spell at AC Milan.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, Atalanta midfielder Ederson Silva and Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso are reportedly heading Manchester City’s wishlist for the upcoming transfer window.

With Walker expected to leave at the end of the season, City need to address the right-back position and bring in a natural full-back despite the recent cover provided by January signing Abdukodir Khusanov, who alongside Rico Lewis can operate in the position.

City could reshuffle their injury-riddled backline in the summer after injuries have once again derailed Nathan Ake and John Stones this term, with Manuel Akanji also struggling for fitness and consistency and Ruben Dias being arguably the indispensable rock at the heart of the Blues’ defence.

As reported by Mail Sport, Manchester City are interested in signing Andrei Ratiu from Rayo Vallecano ahead of the 2025-26 campaign to strengthen their options at right-back, with Walker likely to be sold.

Ratiu is believed to have a release clause just north of €25 million that can be triggered this summer, with Liverpool also understood to be keeping tabs on the 26-year-old Romanian as Trent Alexander-Arnold nears a free transfer to Real Madrid.

City are expected to conduct a ruthless, honest audit of their current first-team and that could well see several senior players moved on and fresh blood brought in, with Ratiu attracting interest from Manchester as he enters the final three years of his current Rayo Vallecano deal.