Lyon identify Manchester City trio for potential January transfers | OneFootball

While the summer market may have only just concluded for Manchester City and most clubs in Europe, profiles are already being lined up for the winter window.

City’s busy summer may have drawn to a close, but attention is already beginning to turn towards potential mid-season movements. Pep Guardiola’s squad, which saw a number of young talents linked with temporary exits that never materialised, could now see renewed interest from abroad.

French side Lyon, who completed the high-profile signing of Rayan Cherki by selling him to City this summer, appear to be positioning themselves as one of the Etihad Stadium club’s more active partners.

The relationship between the two has been described as cooperative and open, raising the possibility of further business. For Lyon, who continue to rebuild their project in Ligue 1 while balancing finances, the January market represents an opportunity to bring in talented reinforcements without committing to permanent deals immediately.

Manchester City, meanwhile, are well known for allowing promising players or out-of-favour senior figures to leave on loans abroad in search of regular minutes.

Now, according to GOAL, Lyon are targeting Manchester City trio Kalvin Phillips, Nico O’Reilly, and Josh Wilson-Esbrand for potential January moves to the French club, holding a working relationship with Etihad bosses following the summer transfer of Rayan Cherki.

It is further pointed out that an oral agreement was discussed regarding the loan of a Manchester City player during talks over Cherki, and while nothing materialised in the summer, the Ligue 1 club remain hopeful of striking a deal in the winter.

Lyon’s general manager, Michael Gerlinger spoke of the failure to reach an agreement in the summer, “We spoke a lot with our colleagues at Manchester City. We explored many avenues.

“It was difficult because the talented players in the squad had better financial offers from other teams. We had to have the player’s agreement. Matthieu [Louis-Jean] insisted.”

Offering his thoughts, Head of recruitment Matthieu Louis-Jean explained, “We mostly talked at the beginning. This clause was oral, so it was up to the player and Manchester City. Everything wasn’t in place for it to happen, but we tried.

“They were quite cooperative, but we didn’t find the right profile. But it could be in January, the relationship is good.”

Looking ahead, the three names on Lyon’s radar each carry different levels of intrigue. Phillips has been widely expected to leave Manchester City for months, though his injury and high wages complicate any move.

O’Reilly, by contrast, is highly rated within the Etihad Stadium academy system, but may benefit from a loan abroad to continue his development, while simultaneously committing his long-term future to City through a new and renewed contract.

As for Josh Wilson-Esbrand, the highly-rated left-sided full-back already experienced loan stints in France with Reims, making him a logical candidate for a return to Ligue 1.

Should Lyon and City strike an agreement in January, it would not only bolster the French side’s squad but also underline the growing connection between the two clubs. For City, it represents another avenue to manage their large pool of talent.