Manchester City register interest in Chelsea defender – Bayern Munich also keen | OneFootball

Chelsea face a double-assault from European giants over the services of one of their most highly-rated talents currently operating in Enzo Maresca’s squad.

City’s monitoring of the defensive market comes amid lingering thoughts over their long-term options at right-back. The issue has been under the spotlight since Kyle Walker’s exit to Burnley, in a move that left Pep Guardiola without a senior specialist presence in the role.

While Manchester City explored the market aggressively throughout the summer, including a firm interest in Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento, Etihad Stadium officials ultimately failed to meet the St James’ Park club’s valuation, prompting a reassessment of targets.

Since then, City have relied heavily on internal solutions, and while the likes of Rico Lewis and Abdukodir Khusanov remain trusted options under Guardiola, Matheus Nunes has shown plenty of promise, success, and perhaps secured future trust in the process.

Josh Acheampong has consistently appeared on City’s radar, following reports in the summer detailing interest alongside the likes of Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, and West Ham, with Chelsea rebuffing loan approaches and remaining firm on retaining him.

Now, according to the information of GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs, both Manchester City and Bayern Munich have registered an interest in the highly-rated Chelsea defender, despite the West London club not planning or wishing to sanction an exit for the teenager.

It is further highlighted that while the 19-year-old is not agitating for a move away from Stamford Bridge, Acheampong is aware of growing interest in his future services. However, neither City nor Bayern have made any formal contact with Chelsea with no guarantee that anything develops in the winter.

Nevertheless, the report reiterates that both Manchester City and Bayern Munich are watching Josh Acheampong’s game time closely in case an opportunity presents itself at some stage in 2026.

Looking ahead, City’s stance appears consistent with their recent recruitment strategy, favouring patience and long-term planning over immediate action.

With Chelsea determined to retain Acheampong and Bayern Munich also maintaining an observational approach, any movement is unlikely in the short term unless the defender’s pathway under Enzo Maresca becomes unclear.

For Manchester City, the situation reinforces the delicate balance between trusting internal options and identifying the next long-term solution at right-back. As Guardiola navigates the season with Nunes as his primary operator, speculation around Acheampong and other elite young defenders could yet identify.