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Man City beat Leicester 5-2 on Sunday; Gary Neville says Pep Guardiola’s defenders aren’t good enough
Last Updated: 09/28/20 1:11 pm
2:07
Sky Sports News reporter Fraser Dainton says Benfica defender Ruben Dias will fly to Manchester on Monday to complete a £ 65 million transfer to Man City.
Manchester City have reached a £ 65m deal to sign defender Ruben Dias, Benfica has announced, and Nicolas Otamendi is moving in the opposite direction.
The deal for Dias has an initial value of £ 62 million, with a further £ 3 million subject to add-ons, and was confirmed in a statement from Benfica on Sunday night following City’s 5-2 home loss to Leicester.
In the statement, the Portuguese club said it had agreed to a separate fee of € 15 million (£ 13.6 million) to sign Otamendi.
Nicolas Otamendi has yet to appear at City this season
Both deals were subject to the termination of personal terms, the club said.
City manager Pep Guardiola has been searching for a right-back since Vincent Kompany left last year.
2:55 FREE TO SEE: Highlights of Leicester City’s victory over Manchester City in the Premier League
Dias has impressed for three seasons at Benfica and was in the Portuguese team for the 2018 World Cup.
The 23-year-old scored and was the team captain in Benfica’s 2-0 win over Moreinense on Saturday, after which Dias was photographed hugging Benfica’s sporting director Rui Costa.
Speaking after the game, Benfica coach Jorge Jesus said: “I’m pretty sure it was his last game (for Rúben Dias), but sometimes everything changes in the last second in football. Although I don’t think that will. to happen.
Dias hugged Benfica sports director Rui Costa after scoring on Saturday
“He is a player we are sorry to see leave, he went through the academy, he is our captain and he plays for the national team. I also take part of the blame for leaving today.
“This also has to do with being eliminated from the Champions League and there are things that need to be balanced (financially) at the management level. He has a high market value and he is certainly already a fantastic player who will continue to improve.”
Manchester City have been fans of Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly
Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly had been City’s main target, but his valuation has remained out of reach until now, while Sevilla’s Jules Kounde also emerged as one of his preferred options.
City denied making a £ 78 million offer for Atletico Madrid central defender José Giménez after the La Liga club president claimed he had rejected an offer for the central defender.
Analysis: Dias is a natural leader
Portuguese journalist Valter Marques told Sky Sports:
“Rubén has grown up with Benfica, and everyone has known for a long time that he will become an incredible player.
“He’s very strong in the air and an aggressive defender, without going off the wrong side of the referee’s whistle.
“Dias’s style will fit in well with Manchester City as he enjoys being the starting point in creating attacks, and even at 23 he is already a great example of a leader at the rear; unless he is celebrating. a goal, you won’t often see him smiling. “
‘Pep’s defenders are not good enough’
Speaking after City’s 5-2 loss to Leicester, Gary Neville of Sky Sports said:
“They were so good in the first 25 minutes, but as soon as Leicester broke them a couple of times, you felt like, psychologically, it just damaged them.
“Some of the wounds from last season are reappearing. The mistakes that cost them the title. You can certainly get to this Manchester City four behind much faster than before. They don’t seem to react in transition higher as they did.”
On the three penalties: “Three different players making the same basic mistake. Recklessness. Naivety. Whatever you want to call it, it’s right there on that baseline. Pep Guardiola is looking to see if he can defend his players, but I’m not sure.” he can.
“His defenders are not good enough, whatever you look at it. He’s a great coach, one of the best coaches of all time. But one by one, once his defenders are in those positions, they’re really poor. almost as if in their mind they couldn’t understand the fact that someone has the goal side of them. “
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Summer Transfer Period: Key Dates and Times
Summer transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday, October 5 with an activity party in line Transfer deadline in Sky Sports News Y on our Sky Sports platforms.
A national-only window for deals between the Premier League and the EFL runs from October 5 and closes on Friday, October 16 at 5 p.m. Follow all news and analysis on SSN and to the other side Sky sports‘digital platforms, even with our dedicated Transfer Center blog.
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