“There was contact” – Agent confirms Manchester City interest in now-Premier League right-back | OneFootball

Manchester City made an approach to emphasise their admiration and interest in a player that has since gone on to make a switch into the Premier League.

The right-back position has been one of the more unsettled areas in Pep Guardiola’s squad over the last 18 months. While City’s midfield has been rebuilt with the additions of Tijjani Reijnders and Nico González, and their attack continues to thrive through Erling Haaland, the defence has seen ongoing reshuffles.

João Cancelo and Kyle Walker’s successive exits have created a tactical hole that has yet to be filled by a permanent solution, with makeshift alternatives trialled instead through the likes of Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis as rotational options.

However, there is seemingly an increasing appetite from both within the club and among supporters to secure a specialist for the position. That uncertainty has left Etihad officials casting a wide net across Europe, with Serie A profiles in particular drawing attention.

Denzel Dumfries of Inter Milan has been one name linked to Manchester City in recent weeks, and the club’s scouting department has been tracking multiple options in Italy’s top flight as they explore a permanent solution.

Speaking during a new interview with Tutto Juve, Nicolò Savona’s agent Michele Puglisi has confirmed Manchester City made an approach for the defender before he ultimately left Juventus for Nottingham Forest later in the most-recent summer window.

“[Manchester] City enquired, there was some contact, and they reiterated their high regard for him,” Puglisi said, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness. “Then I don’t know if it can be considered a possibility or not.”

Savona’s eventual move to Nottingham came as something of a coup for the Midlands club, who capitalised on Juventus’ willingness to sanction an exit for the promising defender.

For City, the failure to progress initial contact into a formal bid suggests the Premier League giants may have prioritised other positions, especially with uncertainty surrounding Ederson’s future and midfield restructuring already absorbing significant attention.

Looking ahead, the acknowledgement of Manchester City’s interest by Savona’s representative underlines the club’s determination to monitor emerging right-backs closely. With Walker now at Burnley and no long-term successor nailed down, the right side of defence is expected to feature prominently in City’s recruitment strategy over the next two windows.

Whether Dumfries, Savona, or another rising talent becomes the ultimate solution remains to be seen, but Pep Guardiola and Hugo Viana are unlikely to persist with makeshift answers for much longer.

Supporters can expect the coming months to bring further links to defenders across Europe, with Manchester City almost certain to revisit the market for a permanent fix to one of the final weak spots in their otherwise dominant squad.