Manchester City Locked In Three-Way Battle For AC Milan Left-Back: Should Pep Launch A Move? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Calciomercato mentioned that Manchester City are locked in a three-way battle for AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez. However, it is believed that the French defender is close to agreeing on a new contract with his current club which would be a big stumbling block for Man City.

Hernandez’s Impressive Form In Italian Football Recently

The 24-year-old is having a brilliant campaign at San Siro after putting in a handful of productive displays on the left side of AC Milan’s defence. Hernandez has registered four goals and seven assists in 25 matches for the Italian outfit this season across all fronts.

The Marseille-born talent has been one of the top performers in Stefano Piolo’s first team as he is averaging 1.1 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, 1.2 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.8 dribbles per game in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. He has even been accurate with his ball distribution based on his pass completion rate of 84.2% in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).

VENICE, ITALY – JANUARY 09: Theo Hernandez of Milan celenbtrates during the Serie A match between Venezia FC v AC Milan at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo on January 09, 2022 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images) The 4th Official uses images provided by the following image agency: Getty Images (https://www.gettyimages.de/) Imago Images (https://www.imago-images.de/)

Should Manchester City Launch A Move For Hernandez?

Hernandez is a solid tackler of the ball and is often quick to scan the danger which helps him secure the ball back for his team. He is quite adventurous with his runs down the left flank and can get to the byline so that he can whip in some inviting crosses into the opponent’s penalty area.

The French sensation has got the eye to play a decisive pass in the opposition half and can even score the odd goal every now and then. Plus, he is a tidy passer of the ball which makes him a good fit for Pep Guardiola’s brand of football at the Etihad Stadium.

A left-back of Hernandez’s skillset would have been a great addition to Man City‘s squad as he ticks all the right boxes in terms of what Guardiola expects from his full-backs.

Now that the player is close to penning a new deal with AC Milan, the Mancunian giants would have to make a mammoth offer if they are to have any chance of recruiting him this month. Still, Guardiola should wait until next summer before deciding whether to launch a big-money offer for Hernandez as he would serve as an upgrade over Oleksandr Zinchenko at the Manchester club in the coming seasons.