Mark Hughes interested in young Bosnian.

Miralem PJANIC

Manchester City are “chasing” Lyon midfielder Miralem Pjanic. It’s a curious choice of verb, conjuring up images of Mark Hughes and several Sheikhs in hot cross-country pursuit of the 19-year-old Bosnian, possibly being led by a couple of bloodhounds following his scent after being given one of his old tracksuits to sniff. The truth, we fear, is considerably more mundane: Hughes will watch him play at Anfield when Lyon play Liverpool in the Champions League in a couple of weeks and decide whether or not to pay the £5m the Ligue 1 table-toppers feel their young tyro is worth. (Guardian)

Mark Hughes obviously has money to burn but perhaps he is beginning to see the logic in trying to get more up and coming players to sign up to Manchester City rather than blindly paying over the odds for any player who takes his fancy.

After a good start to the season Sparky is keeping an eye on the long term success of the club and a move for Lyon’s impressive teenage midfielder Pjanic is a good solid potential signing. The 19 year old had a good first season at the club, even though the club failed to win the French title for the umpteenth time in a row the Bosnian proved a good replacement for the mercurial Juninho and he has a bright future.

He could well be attracted by a move to the Premier League but will probably have to consider whether he would be a first choice starter at the club and assurances in this regard may be the clincher in such a move.

The former Metz man is a good attacking midfielder who has good vision and a mature footballing brain and could do well in the English top tier but this being Man City we are talking about, Lyon may well decide to double any valuation for their starlet.


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