Manchester City are one of the teams interested in signing Red Star Belgrade winger Andrija Maksimovic, according to JuveLive.it.
The Italian website claims that the Premier League champions are involved in a race to sign the teenager, who has been referred to as the “Serbian Messi” by some in the media.
Maksimovic is believed to have at least three other suitors, including Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.
However, JuveLive report that Dortmund are the club who are currently “ahead” of their rivals in the battle for his services.
What do City fans need to know about the player?
Maksimovic has had a strong start to the season. Despite still only being 17 years age, the forward has scored 2 goals and provided 4 assists in 12 matches for Red Star’s senior team.
He has also made three appearances in the Champions League this campaign, having started games against Inter Milan, Monaco and Barcelona.
Maksimovic has played mostly as a winger, although he can also be deployed in more central positions as a No.10 if required.
Red Star have slapped a sizeable price tag on Maksimovic
Despite only making his first-team debut at the end of last year, the youngster’s valuation is already set at €15m (£12.4m).
City are not averse to paying such fees for promising talent. They shelled out roughly the same amount on River Plate’s Claudio Echeverri last January. The Argentinian youth international is expected to link up with City’s senior team at the start of next year.
Maksimovic is probably a bit behind Echeverri in his development but the fact that he is already playing on the European stage bodes well. Whether the Messi comparisons turn out to be accurate, though, we shall have to wait and see.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
