Manchester City have reportedly seen an offer for Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele turned down ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 22-year-old first emerged on City’s radar with his superb display against the Pep Guardiola’s men in the Champions League group stages last year and he has since managed to enhance his reputation further.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the sought-after midfielder has attracted attention from Paris Saint Germain, Inter and Juventus, while City have already failed with a pre-emptive strike to land his signature.
Le 10 Sport states Lyon have rejected a £43 million transfer bid from City for Ndombele, who is contracted to remain at the Olympic stadium until 2023.
The Ligue 1 giants will not be pressured into selling a prized asset for a cut-price fee, but Le 10 Sport reports Ndombele’s departure is expected when the market reopens.
It will likely require a much larger bid for City to secure Ndombele’s services but with a whole host of top European clubs monitoring his situation, sealing a deal could prove a difficult challenge.
Guardiola has identified the need for a new holding midfielder as vital at the Etihad Stadium, with Fernandinho approaching the twilight years of his career at 33.
Ndombele is a strong, aggressive and willing runner capable of breaking up play in the middle of the park, with superb technical ability and an eye for defence-splitting passes.
He would be a valuable addition to City’s ranks but it remains to be seen whether or not he will decide to cut his teeth in the Premier League next season.
The Lyon ace will not be short of offers over the coming months and the Premier League champions will have to stump up a lot more cash in order to beat their European rivals to this particular transfer coup.
