Manchester City miss out on right-back target as €30 million transfer announced | OneFootball

Officials at Manchester City have lost out in the race for one of the most highly-rated right-back talents on the market this summer, with AS Roma emerging on top.

Having spent recent months exploring options for bolstering their defensive depth on the right side, Manchester City have been tracking a number of profiles both in Europe and South America.

With the full-back role proving tactically fluid under Pep Guardiola, often blending into midfield or operating as a third centre-back, recruitment in this position has grown increasingly strategic.

That search led the Premier League giants to Flamengo’s breakout star Wesley at one stage; a dynamic, aggressive right-back who enjoyed a standout season in Brazil and was keen to impress at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States earlier this summer.

The 21-year-old was considered among the continent’s most promising young defenders, and Manchester City were believed to be admirers, with reports in early May highlighting interest and a valuation at around £30 million. At the time, City were assessing several names for a potential summer move, factoring in the possibility of the now-confirmed exit of Kyle Walker.

Brighton & Hove Albion were also strongly linked, with a reported offer in the region of £20 million made in late June. Flamengo were open to selling at that stage, having held positive internal talks with Wesley over his desire to make the jump to European football.

However, as now confirmed and announced by Serie A giants AS Roma this week, the Italian side have secured the signing of Wesley in a deal worth €25 million plus a further €5 million in add-ons.

The move was finalised following Roma’s own reshuffle in the position, which saw AC Milan’s Emerson Royal join Flamengo as part of a sequence of moves involving both clubs. The deal, totalling €30 million, includes performance-related bonuses and marks one of Roma’s most significant investments of the summer window.

For Manchester City, the development marks the end of any immediate hopes of landing Wesley as a long-term option. It also represents a rare instance of the club being beaten to a young talent they had actively tracked, and attention now turns to who could be next on their right-back shortlist.

Manchester City are known to admire players capable of tucking into midfield in build-up play, and Wesley’s direct, overlapping style may have represented a shift in profile. However, the club could now revert to more traditional Guardiola-style options – including internal promotion or a move for a more experienced European-based name.

One existing internal solution remains in Rico Lewis, who continues to offer versatility across midfield and defence but is still just 20 years old. Meanwhile, Matheus Nunes returned to pre-season training with City this week and his usage last season could be heavily influenced by whether or not the club continue to seek a natural full-back.