Manchester City are “not currently planning” a bid for Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, according to The Athletic journalist Sam Lee.
There have been stories claiming Pep Guardiola’s side could table an offer for the England international but Lee says the club’s interest in the player has cooled:
“It was reported on Monday that both City and Tottenham Hotspur are ready to trigger the £60m release clause in Eberechi Eze’s Crystal Palace contract but while City strongly considered signing the player last summer, they are not currently planning a move ahead of the new season.”
Considering Eze has actually improved since City’s initial interest last year, it is somewhat surprising that the club are not contemplating a move now.
Eze could end up moving to a Premier League rival
In addition to Spurs, both Arsenal and Liverpool have been mentioned as potential suitors in recent weeks so there is a possibility that the 25-year-old could be lining up against the Cityzens for one of their title rivals next season.
It may simply be the case that Eze has simply slipped behind another player in the Manchester club’s shortlist of targets to strengthen in midfield.
Who else could City be targeting?
Reports in the German media have also linked the Premier League champions with a bid for RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo. The Spanish international has a slightly cheaper buyout fee which stands at €60m (£51m).
Other names, such as Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, have been mentioned as potential alternatives but both of those players could fetch in excess of £100m.
While City are said to be looking to strengthen their squad this summer, they are unlikely to break their transfer record, which may mean the latter two options are out of reach.
