Chelsea enter transfer battle to sign Manchester City defender | OneFootball

Manchester City appear set to field widespread transfer interest regarding Nico O’Reilly, despite their insistence on retaining the versatile starlet for the future.

O’Reilly has long been viewed as one of the crown jewels of Manchester City’s academy system, rising through the age groups since joining the club at just eight years old and becoming a crucial component of the first-team squad today.

A technically gifted midfielder by trade, his adaptability has proven invaluable, with Pep Guardiola entrusting him to operate both in central roles and as a makeshift left-back, making him one of City’s surprise success stories during his breakthrough year last season.

The England youth international first made his mark on the Under-18s, captaining the side to Premier League glory and developing a reputation for goals and assists in equal measure from his natural midfield position.

By the 2024/25 season, O’Reilly had broken into Pep Guardiola’s first-team setup, starting the Community Shield clash against Manchester United, later featuring across 21 senior fixtures as City navigated a challenging campaign.

Now, according to the information of Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Chelsea have joined Leeds United and two other European giants in ‘increasing their pursuit’ for Manchester City’s highly-rated and versatile midfielder.

Speaking on the ‘Inside Track’ podcast, O’Rourke has reported, “Chelsea are big admirers of him [Nico O’Reilly], there’s been talk of interest from abroad as well by [Bayer] Leverkusen, [Olympique] Lyon.”

However it was further clarified as part of the same conversation, “But for me, Nico O’Reilly probably will remain at Manchester City. I don’t see City opening the door for him to leave.”

From Manchester City’s perspective, the timing of renewed interest is far from ideal, having only recently reached an agreement over a new contract with the 20-year-old and the Etihad club expected to resist overtures from rival Premier League sides and European clubs alike.

The fact that Chelsea – who have prioritised recruiting young English talent in recent years – are now among the suitors makes the situation even more intriguing. Speculation will inevitably continue in the build-up to the January window, with interested clubs likely to test City’s resolve.

While a permanent deal appears unlikely given Pep Guardiola’s faith in Nico O’Reilly, a loan move could be one potential compromise if the midfielder seeks more consistent minutes, or perhaps a move into the middle of the park as opposed to the left side of defence.

Ultimately, Nico O’Reilly’s immediate future rests in Manchester City’s hands, and the player’s development trajectory suggests Pep Guardiola will want him involved in the first-team picture.