Manchester City face disappointment in right-back transfer pursuit

In partnership with

City Xtra

·18 juin 2026

Manchester City face disappointment in right-back transfer pursuit

Hugo Viana has identified right-back as a position requiring reinforcement at Manchester City this summer.
Despite the strong performances of Matheus Nunes, club bosses feel as though competition is needed in the role.
Aside from Feyenoord’s Givairo Read, Atalanta’s Marco Palestra has been linked with Man City interest, but the Italian champions are closing in on his signature.

Manchester City face losing out on one of their shortlisted right-back targets this summer with Italian champions Inter now leading the chase.

Hugo Viana is currently analysing City’s first-team squad off the back of a promising season that saw the club win two domestic trophies ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup respectively.

Vidéos OneFootball

Those victories came off the back of a disappointing 2024/25 season that saw City go without a major trophy for the first time since Pep Guardiola’s debut season back in 2016/17, and the Catalan now felt as though the right time had come to bring an end to his legendary stay.

Incoming boss Enzo Maresca faces the challenge of not only maintaining the transformational style of play implemented by his predecessor, but also reestablishing the winning culture within the club, and ensuring that standards simply do not slip.

And as part of that process, Manchester City are looking to be decisive and aggressive in the summer transfer market, targeting reinforcements at right-back, central midfield, and the wide attacking positions to begin with.

Inter close in on Man City right-back target

Now, according to information from journalist Matteo Moretto, Italian top-flight champions Inter Milan are accelerating in their pursuit for the signature of last season’s Serie A Defender of the Year, Marco Palestra.

It is explained that there have been ‘very positive contacts’ between Inter and Atalanta, and an agreement is now ‘close’ between the two clubs for about €50 million inclusive of additional bonuses.

Who else could Manchester City chase in the position?

A failure to recruit Palestra will force Manchester City to focus their attentions elsewhere, and the club are known to have an extensive list of options to explore in the weeks that remain in the ongoing summer market.

Givairo Read breaks long-held silence on Manchester City transfer talk after Robin van Persie blessing

Among those names is Feyenoord’s Givairo Read, who remains very highly thought of in football circles and is also attracting admiration from Vincent Kompany and his Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich.

French media have also pointed towards Chelsea and France international Malo Gusto as a player Manchester City could approach, largely due to Enzo Maresca’s familiarity with the defender from their time working together at Stamford Bridge.