Manchester City hold Malo Gusto transfer talks with Chelsea after Marco Palestra setback | OneFootball

Manchester City have held talks with Chelsea over a potential move for right-back Malo Gusto this summer, with the 23-year-old’s agent in discussions with a number of clubs over his future at Stamford Bridge.

City’s interest in the right-back position has been building throughout the off-season, with sporting director Hugo Viana identified as the driving force behind a search for a specialist in the role.

Matheus Nunes performed admirably as a makeshift option at right-back throughout the 2025-26 campaign but City’s hierarchy are understood to want a dedicated occupant for the position as Enzo Maresca prepares to begin his first season in charge at the Etihad Stadium.

Gusto joined Chelsea from Lyon in January 2023 and has established himself as first-choice right-back at Stamford Bridge, racking up significant Premier League minutes under a succession of managers.

He is currently representing France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Didier Deschamps selecting him as part of Les Bleus’ squad in North America.

The Gusto link is not new from a City perspective. L’Equipe reported an enquiry from Viana’s department earlier this month, at which point the connection to Maresca – who worked closely with Gusto during his time as Chelsea manager – was flagged as a key factor behind City’s attraction to the player.

Maresca was also reported at the time to have shortlisted Gusto as a potential first signing at the Etihad Stadium, underlining how long the Italian has held an admiration for his former player.

Report: Chelsea open to offers with Maresca driving the deal

As reported by Stamford Bridge insider Simon Phillips on his Substack and relayed by Talk Chelsea, Gusto’s agent is in talks with “a few clubs” about a potential departure from Stamford Bridge this summer, with Manchester City and Inter Milan named as the two sides who have specifically engaged in dialogue with Chelsea over a deal.

Chelsea are described as ‘open to offers’ for the 23-year-old right-back, with the club’s own hierarchy reportedly confident they would be able to find an adequate replacement should a sale be sanctioned.

The report adds that Gusto was ‘close’ to Maresca during the Italian’s spell in west London, and that it is Maresca himself who appears to be the primary force behind any City pursuit.

Chelsea’s own summer business has already seen Marc Cucurella depart for Real Madrid, meaning their first-choice full-backs on both sides could yet be sold before the window closes – a significant shift in the look of the squad Maresca inherited and now leaves behind at Stamford Bridge.

What would Gusto bring to Manchester City?

At 23, Gusto fits precisely the profile Viana has sought to target across City’s broader rebuild – young, proven at Premier League level, and with considerable room to develop further under a manager who already knows his strengths and limitations intimately.

The familiarity angle is not insignificant. Maresca’s City predecessor Pep Guardiola consistently leaned on full-backs who could function as inverted options in possession, and Gusto’s natural comfort carrying the ball into midfield zones makes him adaptable to the kind of system Maresca is expected to implement at the Etihad Stadium.

However, City’s position in the right-back market remains far from settled. Inter Milan are also advanced in their own pursuit, while Viana’s department continues to monitor alternatives including Feyenoord’s Givairo Read – meaning Gusto is not necessarily the guaranteed destination even if Chelsea’s openness to a sale holds firm.

Whether City can get ahead of Inter and bring the deal to a conclusion before Gusto returns from World Cup duty remains to be seen.