Manchester City Transfer News: Kostas Manolas Agent Confirms Rumours, More

Jeff Curry/Getty Images

The agent of AS Roma star Kostas Manolas has revealed Manchester City, as well as Manchester United and Chelsea, chased his client during the summer transfer window, and he’s convinced those clubs are still interested.

The Citizens addressed their defensive needs by adding John Stones, while United and Chelsea also splashed the cash on centre-backs, adding Eric Bailly and David Luiz, respectively.

But Ioannis Evangelopoulos, who represents the Greece international, is sure all three clubs are still keeping an eye on Manolas while discussing his contract situation, per ESPN FC (h/t Metro’s Tom Olver):

It is possible that Kostas will sign a new deal at Roma and we will see what they have got to say. There was strong interest in Kostas from top clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United in the summer and I am sure those clubs are still watching him.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/Getty Images

The 25-year-old was one of Serie A’s most consistent and secure defenders last season, starting 36 matches for Roma. He’s mostly been paired with Thomas Vermaelen and Federico Fazio this season, with Antonio Rudiger recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered during the summer.

Fazio has done a remarkable job in the heart of defence, but his great performances have been aided by the calming influence of Manolas. The Greek rarely ever gets caught out of position, and he covers enough ground to make up for Fazio’s lack of athleticism.

Here’s a look at some of his highlights:

Manolas is an excellent defender with youth on his side, and he would likely be a starter at the vast majority of Premier League clubs, including some of the top title contenders. City have solid defensive depth, however, particularly in the wake of the Stones signing.

The Citizens felt comfortable loaning out Eliaquim Mangala, a testament to their depth, and they’re unlikely to spend the huge amount of money it would likely take to land Manolas given the options they already have.

It’s worth noting the agent discussed contract negotiations with Roma while making his claims―he’s likely talking up his client and the interest in his services to get the best possible deal out of the Giallorossi.

Elsewhere, Barcelona have confirmed Sergio Busquets will sign his new contract on Thursday, putting an end to speculation linking him with United, Chelsea, City and Paris Saint-Germain, per the Daily Star’s Marc Williams.

JOSEP LAGO/Getty Images

Busquets was never expected to leave the Camp Nou, with most of the City links coming from his great relationship with manager Pep Guardiola, and his new £170 million buyout clause will give Barcelona a tremendous amount of leverage if clubs do come calling.

The 28-year-old has been with Barcelona since 2005 and has been a regular for the club for years. He’s one of the best holding midfielders in all of football, and his calm demeanor and solid passing ability make him a perfect fit for the Blaugrana.

Here are some of his highlights:

Guardiola was frequently linked with some of his former players and Barcelona’s top youth prospects during his time with Bayern Munich, and unsurprisingly, things haven’t changed now that’s he’s managing in England.

The Blaugrana have no intention of letting their most influential players walk, particularly to a club that’s working hard toward becoming a European powerhouse on their level. Busquets was born and raised in Catalonia―he won’t have any reason to leave as long as Barcelona pay him well and play him frequently enough.