Manchester City insider outlines club stance on signing new right-back this summer | OneFootball

A new report has outlined Manchester City’s stance on the acquisition a new right-back in the upcoming transfer window to progress a squad rebuild.

Hugo Viana has orchestrated a sweeping remake of Pep Guardiola‘s first-team ranks since he replaced Txiki Begiristain as City’s sporting director in 2025, making seven new signings last summer before adding Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi to Guardiola’s squad in January.

City remain in the running for an unprecedented quadruple in the final months of a transitional season but are very likely to bid farewell to club captain Bernardo Silva and John Stones at the end of their respective contracts at the end of the season.

Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis also face uncertain futures at the Etihad Stadium as Viana and co put plans in motion for the summer transfer window, when club insiders will prioritise the signing of a world-class midfielder, with Nottingham Forest and England star Elliot Anderson a dream signing for Manchester City and Guardiola.

Are Manchester City looking to sign a right-back this summer?

City are exploring the market for a new right-back ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, having monitored the market last summer and again in January to ultimately decide against signing an out-and-out specialist in the position.

Matheus Nunes has exceeded expectations with his consistent displays as a makeshift right-back this term, enjoying his best season in a Manchester City shirt since joining from Wolves for £53 million in 2023.

Guardiola also retains the option of deploying Lewis at right-back, with Abdukodir Khusanov called in for Nunes in the position in Manchester City’s recent 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News has detailed that it remains unclear at present whethr City will add a fresh right-back to their ranks this summer, having recently distanced themselves from reports indicating an interest in Newcastle United’s Valentino Livramento.

Have Manchester City strongly considered a new right-back since Kyle Walker’s departure?

Kyle Walker left Manchester City for Burnley on a permanent deal last summer following his return from a six-month loan stint at AC Milan, having lost his starting spot at Manchester City midway through the disastrous 2024-25 season.

The report has noted that City officials have explored a series of young options at right-back, indicating that a new addition would likely not be coming in as first-choice and would be gradually integrated into the starting XI.

Furthermore, Vitor Reis is excelling on loan at Girona and is making a strong case for a recall to Manchester ahead of next season – which could bolster Guardiola’s centre-half options and even allow him to test Khusanov more regularly at right-back, alongside Nunes.

It does appear that Manchester City will prioritise the addition of a world-class midfielder this summer to open their incoming business, with departures from the first-team squad likely to dictate any and all subsequent transfer dealings.