Manchester City have already begun their quest of finding a new holding midfielder in the market, as they plan for life after Fernandinho who is unlikely to be a regular in the first team a season from now.
According to reports, head coach Pep Guardiola is apparently keen on securing the services of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl. The German International has been identified as Guardiola’s desired player, with the Premier League leaders already sending scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action.
Since his move from 1860 Munich, in the summer of 2015, Julian Weigl has transformed into one of Borussia Dortmund’s biggest assets in the midfield department. The youngster not only dethroned the likes of Nuri Sahin, Sebastian Rode in the starting lineup but also established himself as the long-term successor for club legend Sebastian Kehl.
That being said, however, the black and yellows could find it difficult to keep a hold on the midfield starlet, with the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City already showing keen interest. According to reports, the Bundesliga giants have slapped a price tag of £40million on the German International.
Manchester City, on the other hand, have been excellent, to say the least, in Pep Guardiola’s second season in charge. The Sky Blues are leading the Premier League table by a long margin and also thrashed FC Basel in the first leg of their Champions League knockout match. And midfield enforcer Fernandinho has been key to their success this season.
The Brazilian International’s presence in midfield has given City, some extra solidity in the middle third of the pitch. However, at the age of 32, Fernandinho is already in the final phase of his career and therefore, Manchester City are desperate to find a long-term replacement for the former Shakhtar midfielder and Julian Weigl could be an ideal choice for the Premier League giants.
Although the German International might not be as effective as Fernandinho when it comes to the defensive side of the game, his excellent passing range and great ball circulation will definitely bring more assurance in the City midfield.
At the age of just 22, Weigl is already one of the best ball circulators in world football and therefore, the Dortmund midfielder is perfectly suited for Pep Guardiola’s tactical philosophy.
Even though Julian Weigl hasn’t been as impressive this season, that is largely down to the fact that Dortmund, as a team, has struggled with lack of identity(having already sacked two coaches) and form, while the player himself has had to deal with a long injury layoff for the most part of this season. There’s no doubt that Julian Weigl is an impressive talent who can bring quality into the Manchester City midfield. It would be interesting to see how he partners up with his former teammate Ilkay Gundogan, should he opt to move to Etihad this summer.