Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has reportedly sent club scouts to France to watch Tanguy Ndombele play for Lyon in Ligue 1.
The U-21 France international is already a fixture in the starting XI at the Groupama Stadium and starred for the team during their 2-1 Champions League victory against City on September 19th.
The holding midfielder impressed during that particular clash and according to the Express, Guardiola has been keeping a close eye on his progress for a few weeks now.
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The Express reports that the Spanish boss sent his scouts over to Lyon to watch the young starlet at the start of the month and is currently waiting to hear feedback ahead of a possible January swoop for the player.
It is no secret that Guardiola chased Joriginho’s signature over the summer – who eventually opted to join Chelsea instead – in the hope he could add more depth to his squad in the middle of the park.
Fernandinho is the club’s current first-choice defensive midfielder, but at 34 years of age, he is fast approaching the twilight years of his career.
City are already on the lookout for the heir to the Brazilian’s throne and Ndombele has all the qualities to fill that position in the future for the English champions.
David Silva and Ilkay Gundogan have been used in the deep-lying role at times already this season, but they are predominantly offensive players by trade and therefore not long-term solutions to the issue.
The Citizen’s continued their strong start to the new Premier League season with a 2-0 win against Brighton at the Etihad on Saturday, but they haven’t quite hit the heights they did last term just yet, with Liverpool and Chelsea threatening to push them all the way in this year’s title tussle.
Top of the League!
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Ndombele will likely feature against City again when the two teams meet again in France for the reverse group F fixture in Europe where Guardiola will be able to have an even closer look at the Frenchman’s credentials.
Expect this particular story to develop in the coming months with a possible January move for the Lyon midfielder already being touted as a distinct possibility.