Malo Gusto awaiting Enzo Maresca’s Man City appointment amid Chelsea future doubt | OneFootball

Manchester City may have received a significant boost to any hopes of luring Malo Gusto from Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Gusto has established himself as one of the most dynamic right-backs in the Premier League since joining Chelsea from Lyon in 2023, combining an attacking instinct with the defensive discipline required to thrive under a demanding system.

His emergence under Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge last season made him one of the more compelling players in the Italian’s side, with the Frenchman’s ability to invert and contribute in possession fitting seamlessly into the structure Maresca demanded of his full-backs.

That relationship now appears to have taken on a new significance, with City’s impending appointment of Maresca adding a new dimension to the club’s summer transfer plans.

Gill: Gusto open to Maresca reunion as City interest firms

According to sources close to Gusto speaking to Mail Sport’s Kieran Gill, the France international would be interested in reuniting with his former Chelsea manager should Maresca’s appointment at the Etihad Stadium be formalised in the coming days.

However, Chelsea insiders cited in the same report add that Manchester City are not the only club to have indicated interest in the 23-year-old this summer, with other leading sides across Europe also understood to be monitoring his situation as the transfer window gathers pace.

Chelsea’s own position on a potential departure for Gusto remains to be seen, particularly given the ongoing compensation dispute between the two clubs over Maresca’s exit from Stamford Bridge – a factor that could complicate any direct negotiations should City formalise their interest.

What would Gusto bring to Manchester City?

City director of football Hugo Viana has identified the right-back position as an area requiring reinforcement as part of a wide-ranging squad rebuild at the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Gusto’s profile – a young, technically accomplished, attack-minded full-back with proven Premier League experience and a working knowledge of Maresca’s system – maps closely to the kind of signing Viana has consistently targeted since taking up his role at the club.

The personal dimension of the pursuit adds a layer of intrigue rarely seen in the transfer market, with the incoming manager’s prior relationship with a target potentially providing City with an advantage that no financial offer alone could replicate.

Whether Chelsea are willing to do business with a club they are simultaneously in a compensation dispute with remains one of the more significant subplots of City’s summer – but Gusto’s own openness to the move, as reported by Gill, represents a meaningful early development in what could yet become one of the window’s defining transfers.