Nico O’Reilly receives Pep Guardiola transfer stance amid Premier League interest | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola appears set to stand firm on a desire to retain Nico O’Reilly as part of his Etihad Stadium plans, according to new reports.

O’Reilly, 20, has managed an impressive ascent into City’s first-team squad from the City Football Academy (CFA) in the last year and is very highly rated by Guardiola and officials at the Etihad Stadium.

A natural midfielder, O’Reilly has won Guardiola over with his flawless efforts at left-back since the closing months of the 2024-25 campaign, when his emergence from the academy provided City a much-needed lift and allowed Josko Gvardiol to move to his preferred centre-back position alongside Ruben Dias.

O’Reilly’s rise as a Manchester City first-team regular last term was marked by match-winning performances away at Everton and Bournemouth in the Premier League and FA Cup respectively, with the academy graduate stepping up and assuming responsibility on his shoulders in the midst of City’s most challenging season under Guardiola.

A versatile player who can operate in a wide range of positions in midfield and defence, O’Reilly is one of the most exciting products of Manchester City’s prestigious academy and has attracted widespread interest from clubs across Europe since his rise to the first-team.

Bayer Leverkusen have seen two bids rejected for the 20-year-old, who has agreed terms over a long-term new contract at the Etihad Stadium, with the defender’s current deal running till the end of the 2027-28 campaign.

Manchester City have one of Europe’s most exciting youngsters on their hands, with Guardiola’s faith in the fearless O’Reilly reflected by the academy graduate starting in last week’s 3-0 derby win over Manchester United.

The Manchester-born star delivered a commanding display at left-back against City’s local rivals, played a key role in his side’s second goal and kept Manchester United forward Bryan Mbuemo quiet for an overwhelming majority of the game.

O’Reilly is still at an embryonic stage of his career and Manchester City will not be short of suitors for their starlet, who alongside Gvardiol has offered a very reliable solution to Guardiola’s long-standing issues at left-back in recent seasons – before the Blues signed Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves for £31 million this summer.

Leeds United are believed to have recently expressed a desire to add O’Reilly to their ranks with Manchester City yet to formally announce a contract renewal for the left-back despite the behind-the-scenes agreement widely reported in recent months.

Despite interest in the versatile midfielder, new reporting from Football Insider reveals that Guardiola is adamant of keeping O’Reilly at the Etihad Stadium. City have sanctioned exits for several academy graduates who have expressed a desire to leave in recent seasons.

However, O’Reilly is a special talent and has been a fundamental feature in the Manchester City first-team squad since his emergence from the academy and the Englishman will know that he is good enough to keep playing regularly at his boyhood club in the seasons to come.