Pep Guardiola is reportedly interested in signing Napoli’s Spanish central midfielder, Fabian Ruiz. Ruiz joined the Italian club from Real Betis in 2018 for €30 million after triggering his release clause.
According to Sky Sports (via Calciomercato), Napoli do not want Ruiz to leave the club, but could be tempted if a big offer comes in for him.
Barcelona are reportedly interested in him, while Real Madrid and Liverpool are also taking keen interest.
Manchester City have a huge hole in their midfield following the injury of Kevin de Bruyne, as well as the move to switch Fernandinho to centre back.
The reigning Premier League champions are looking for reinforcements in the central midfield position, as well as centre back, where they have few options.
Ruiz is a fantastic passer of the ball, who can dictate the tempo of the game from midfield. The 23-year-old is technically very good, which is what would have attracted Manchester City’s interest in him.
A player who is tactically astute and disciplined in midfield, Guardiola will love an influential figure like Ruiz in City’s midfield. Ruiz can also chip in with a few goals and is good at shooting from distance.
One of his key traits is his versatility as he can play anywhere in midfield – as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, or on the left or right.
Ruiz is good with the ball at his feet and can dribble past players, while also possessing the technical ability to create chances for his teammates.
In his first year at Napoli, last season, he scored 5 goals and made 4 in Serie A, while also impressing with his passing, making an average of 66.6 passes per game in the league, with a pass completion rate of 89.8%.
There are no weaknesses in Ruiz’s game at the moment, but perhaps the physical nature of English football will take some time to get used to.
The difficulty in his transfer to Manchester City lays in the interest shown by both Spanish giants – Barcelona and Real Madrid. If he joins the club in January, adusting to life at the Etihad, without a full preseason, might be difficult, so don’t expect him to hit the ground running.
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