Tottenham hand Manchester City transfer blow over defensive target | OneFootball

Manchester City are likely to face an uphill battle in any transfer pursuit of Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro this summer, amid the stance taken by those in North London.

With the future of the right-back position flagged as an area needing reinforcement to supplement Matheus Nunes, City’s board had initiated contact via intermediate channels to explore bringing the 26-year-old Spaniard back to the club.

However, after narrowly escaping relegation into the Championship under the guidance of Roberto De Zerbi – who took the position in the final weeks of the season – the Lilywhites are determined to reshape their identity without losing core assets.

Backed by the board and its new executive structure, Tottenham are seemingly prepared to block any approaches to ensure one of their star defenders is present when pre-season assembles from July onwards.

Tottenham aim to block Porro exit

According to transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi sees Pedro Porro as a crucial player for his set-up, and those within the North London club also do not want the Spaniard to leave this summer.

Even in the event of negotiating a move, Spurs are unlikely to shift below a £50 million baseline fee, and as such Hugo Viana must balance his budgets whilst keeping in mind other priority positions in the squad.

What are Man City’s other priorities this summer?

As the summer transfer market prepares to open, the Etihad Stadium’s recruiting team is already shifting focus toward younger specialist profiles at right-back who could seamlessly integrate into the squad long-term – with Marco Palestra getting mentions in Italian media.

Boardroom resources are already heavily occupied by primary negotiations elsewhere, with the club submitting a staggering £121 million package proposal to Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson this week – which was rejected by owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Manchester City could also look into the possibility of recruiting in the wide attacking roles, with Spurs also intent on securing the services of Brazilian winger Savinho this summer – valued at around £60 million by those at the Etihad.