Manchester City may have to fend off interest from Chelsea for Ruben Dias, according to reports.
Writing on his Substack, journalist Simon Phillips claims that the Blues are lining up a “very ambitious move” for the Portuguese international.
Dias remains a regular starter for the Premier League champions, having been named in the first eleven in 8 of the club’s 13 fixtures in all competitions this season.
Coupled with the fact that the 27-year-old has a contract that extends to 2027, there is little to no prospect of the Cityzens considering a potential sale in the near future.
Guardiola is a massive fan of Dias
The centre-back settled into life in the Premier League almost immediately after his move from Benfica four years ago. Speaking about Dias at the start of 2021, manager Pep Guardiola waxed lyrical about his abilities:
“When you buy a player you think they will help the squad but you never really know how much. But his abilities and understanding of the game is incredible – he wants to learn and all of us are impressed with his body and mind. Every day he’s in the gym early in the morning, making his routine, eating perfectly – he lives 24 hours for this profession.”
Dias was named in the Premier League Team of the Season at the end of his debut campaign with the club.
Could a change in manager affect the City player’s future?
Clearly, Dias has a massive advocate in Guardiola so the 53-year-old’s potential departure at the end of the campaign may lead to some uncertainty. However, that would be the same for all members of the first-team squad.
Even if there is a change in the dugout, though, you would fully expect the centre-half to be a key player for City for many years to come.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
