Due to an investigation, Manchester City’s pursuit of Lucas Paqueta has been put on hold; as a result, they are now considering targets like Jeremy Doku and Dani Olmo.
Dani Olmo
Jeremy Doku
Given his remarkable dribbling abilities and adaptability, Olmo is regarded as a potential Riyad Mahrez replacement by the City board.
Olmo would be a perfect fit, but Leipzig isn’t prepared to trade him right now, so City may need to look at other choices. One of those is Doku, who has had encouraging conversations with Rennes but needs more details before a deal can be struck.
Transfer consultant Fabrizio Romano has now provided Manchester City with an update on their pursuit of Jeremy Doku and Dani Olmo.
What are the most recent Man City transfer rumors?
Due to Pep Guardiola’s lack of wide players, Man City has been heavily eyeing Rennes winger Doku as a replacement for Riyad Mahrez. They have also been linked to a move for Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United.
The 25-year-old would be interested in moving to the Etihad Stadium, according to talkSPORT, and French football journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi claims that City has already put in a proposal for a total of €95 million (£81 million).
The FA and FIFA are currently looking into the Brazilian international, therefore the Sky Blues’ pursuit of him has been put on hold. As a result, they may need to turn their attention to other players.
Romano has now provided a summary of possible replacements for Paqueta, noting that Olmo and Doku are still viable choices, though a deal for the latter player is probably more likely to succeed.
The transfer specialist stated:
The Paqueta story is tricky, so City is aiming for a different player in that position. Let’s see if City tries to pursue Dani Olmo.
“Luis Paqueta had always been their aim, but some board members had always valued Dani Olmo. Leipzig currently insists that the player is untouchable, but it will be interesting to see if City can come up with another option and how Leipzig responds.
“Jeremy Doku is still one of Manchester City’s targets. Before committing to anything, they want to make sure that there won’t be a significant conflict on the player side. They had meetings with Rennes and had excellent discussions with the players.
Dani Olmo’s talent level?
When compared to his positional rivals over the previous year, the Spaniard ranks in the 90th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, and he has been in excellent form during the early going of the season.
The 25-year-old has scored four goals in his first two games, including a hat-trick against Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup while playing on the left side of midfield.
However, the £155k per week attacker is very versatile and can also play on the other flank, suggesting he may be a good substitute for Mahrez, who frequently played in that area of the field for Guardiola’s team.
Julian Nagelsmann, a former manager of RB Leipzig, praised the Spain international as “outstanding” and added:
“Physically adjusting takes some time because the Bundesliga moves at a faster speed than the Croatian league. However, he worked incredibly hard, frequently won the ball, and played strong defense.
“He has extraordinary skills and plays the ball very safely. When under pressure, he is skilled at inciting a foul.
Olmo might be the ideal substitute for Mahrez, but if City is to complete a deal, Leipzig will need to modify their stance because the German club is now hesitant to trade him.