Manchester City ready to sanction loan move for first-team defender this summer | OneFootball

Manchester City could allow Vitor Reis to leave on loan next season for development and regular first-team football, as per a new report.

Reis was brought in by the 2023 treble winners in January to bolster Pep Guardiola’s defensive options amidst a crisis that has gravely impacted Manchester City’s season and forced the club to sign Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov as reinforcements midway through the campaign.

The 19-year-old joined from Palmeiras and has made just three senior appearances for Manchester City since his arrival as Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias have formed a solid partnership at centre-half in recent months.

Khusanov gained huge plaudits for his fast start to life at the Etihad Stadium but has seen game time difficult to come by himself, with Matheus Nunes preferred by Guardiola on the right side of defence of late in what has been a much more stable City backline.

Manchester City will make wholesale changes to their first-team in the summer transfer window but centre-half is an area the club are unlikely to address, having made a series of acquisitions in January to add cover in central defence.

Reis has seen minutes difficult to come by since his arrival from Brazil and there have been question marks raised on where the teenager ranks in Guardiola’s pecking order despite the Manchester City manager’s faith in the 19-year-old.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Jorge Nicola has spoken with a member of Reis’ camp and provided a crucial update on the defender’s short-term future in England, as relayed by Sport Witness.

“I contacted someone from Vitor Reis’ staff to find out if the possibility of returning to Brazil is at least being studied, speculated, and if Flamengo has made an inquiry. That Flamengo is looking for a defender – that is real,” Nicola said.

“About Vitor Reis, I was not able to confirm with anyone at Flamengo about the interest in this athlete, but it is possible to rule out that Manchester City would agree to negotiate for him with Brazilian or South American teams.

“If he (Reis) does not stay there, he will gain experience and experience in another team in European football, especially because at Manchester City, they are betting a lot on the development and future of this player.”