Manchester City in ‘advanced negotiations’ over Argentine forward – Plan to loan to La Liga | OneFootball

A loan to La Liga’s Valencia is on the cards for a talent being pursued by Manchester City this summer, according to new reports.

City are continuing their well-established recruitment drive in South America with Maher Carrizo of Vélez Sarsfield the latest Argentina youth international to emerge on the Premier League giants’ radar.

The 19-year-old forward, who is regarded as one of Argentina’s top talents, has impressed in recent months with his agility, intelligence in possession, and direct goal threat from wide positions. Carrizo is currently representing Argentina at Under-20 level and follows a familiar trend of City targeting players before they reach a European market boom in valuation.

Manchester City have made significant moves in the South American transfer space in recent years, particularly through their 2024 and 2025 work surrounding Claudio Echeverri and Vitor Reis respectively.

The club’s City Football Group umbrella also allows for flexibility in development pathways, with Girona often acting as a stepping stone, while the club’s influence in La Liga now opens up the possibility of Valencia being used in a similar way.

That is according to the information of journalist Germán García Grova, as relayed by El Intransigente and translated by Sport Witness, who claims that Vélez Sarsfield are making an effort to stop Maher Carrizo’s move to City or another club this summer by offering the talent a new contract until December 2030 and increasing his release clause.

However, from the side of the player and his new representatives, they are said to be “working on a transfer” this summer, with Manchester City in advanced negotiations to sign the forward and plan to send him on loan to Spanish side Valencia.

From the side of journalist Maxi Ertola, Manchester City are said to find the Argentina Under-20 international’s $16 million release clause ‘high’, although ‘everything indicates a deal is possible at a lower price’.

Should a move to the Etihad Stadium materialise, Carrizo would likely follow a well-established pattern set by the Premier League side in joining the club and immediately departing on loan for more regular first-team minutes, especially in Europe’s top-five leagues.

While Girona is often the obvious destination in Spain, Valencia could provide an alternate environment with a bigger spotlight and enhanced pressure – arguably ideal for testing Carrizo’s development.

There remains the question of whether Vélez will buckle under external pressure, or if City’s structure and vision for the player will be enough to turn his head. The offer of an extended deal until 2030 reflects how desperate the Argentine side are to retain their asset, but City’s offer of a European pathway could ultimately win out.

Carrizo’s style of play and long-term potential also aligns with Manchester City’s post-Pep Guardiola recruitment thinking: dynamic, explosive attackers who can operate in fluid systems. Should the deal be completed, it would mark another aggressive and calculated investment into the club’s future across the Atlantic.