Manchester City have yet to settle on a No.1 target to provide backup for Erling Haaland, according to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein.
It has been reported that Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi could be the player brought in ahead of the transfer deadline next week but, speaking on The Overlap, Ornstein said:
“They’ll probably look to do one more [after Gundogan], potentially. Whether it be a wide player or somebody who can play wide and up front to back up Erling Haaland.”
“They’ve been linked with the Celtic forward. He is one of their options but I don’t think they’ve settled on who they want to go for, if they will at all.”
“It needs to be the right player who will accept playing second fiddle to Haaland if needed or the wingers who are there at the moment. That’s not an easy task.”
Price, age and fitness will all be factors in City’s thinking
It is believed that Celtic will demand as much as £20m for Kyogo and, while that doesn’t sound like a lot of money, the Cityzens will be mindful of the fact that the Japanese international turns 30 in January.
There are also concerns about the forward’s injury record. He has been carrying a shoulder problem and Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers has suggested that the player may need surgery. If he undergoes an operation, he could face months on the sidelines.
City are about to recruit another forward
As Ornstein mentions, there is no guarantee that Pep Guardiola’s side will buy a new No.9 over the next week. One of the potential reasons why there isn’t a great deal of urgency is because they are about to sign a young striker on a free transfer.
Divin Mubama left West Ham at the end of June after making 18 first-team appearances for the Hammers. The 19-year-old does lack experience but many believe he possesses a great deal of potential.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
