Manchester City are keeping close tabs on Reading left-back Andre Garcia, according to TBRFootball.
The 16-year-old was handed his debut by Royals boss Ruben Selles against Birmingham City back in August and he has gone on to make 14 appearances in all competitions (including 8 starts).
Garcia came through Reading’s academy as a winger but he has quickly adapted to playing as a fullback.
While he is only playing in the third tier of English football, the fact that he is featuring so regularly at such a young age has attracted the attention of City’s scouts and a whole host of other teams.
Who else is interested in signing Garcia?
TBR report that Chelsea and Tottenham are monitoring the defender’s performances closely (along with City) as they weigh up potential offers.
Crystal Palace have also recruited players from Reading’s academy before, most notably Michael Olise, and the Eagles are expected to compete with Premier League rivals for Garcia’s services.
It is believed that clubs in Germany, France, Italy and Spain have identified the teenager as a potential transfer target as well.
The City target has been praised by his manager
Explaining his decision to introduce Garcia to the first team setup, Reading boss Selles said that the youngster impressed the coaching staff in pre-season and they had no hesitation in selecting him for the senior side:
“We don’t look at the age of the players. He surprised us in a training game when he came in as a left-back. We have young talented players.”
If City do sign Garcia in January or at the end of the season, it’s unlikely that he would become part of Pep Guardiola’s squad straight away but he does seem to have a very bright future ahead of him.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
