“He’s not clever enough” – Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City midfielder forced to play in defence | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes is forced to play and develop as a right-back as he is “not clever enough” to operate in midfield, according to Pep Guardiola.

The Portugal international was brought into Manchester City’s operation towards the end of the summer transfer window of 2023 in a big-money switch from Premier League competitors Wolverhampton Wanderers.

At the time, Nunes’ £53 million switch to the Etihad Stadium was seen as a way of strengthening Manchester City’s midfield options, however a struggle to adapt to the demands and requirements set out by Pep Guardiola has forced the player to adapt his position.

Amid injury problems elsewhere in defence and struggling form experienced by Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis at times this campaign, Guardiola has turned to Matheus Nunes due to his physicality, turn of pace, and ability to carry the ball over long distances on the pitch.

Speaking after Manchester City’s most recent 0-0 draw away to Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, in which Nunes once again started as the club’s right-back, Pep Guardiola spoke at length about the Portuguese midfielder.

“He can become a good right-back for the physicality,” Guardiola told reporters at Old Trafford. “I think he’s not a player to play in the middle because he’s not clever enough, in composure. He has incredible skills and he’s learning a lot.”

Guardiola continued, “Full-backs always have a big mistake when a cross to the far-post where you are, always they’re sleeping, and he defended really well two or three crosses from Bruno Fernandes, [Patrick] Dorgu.

“He has physicality to do it, he can play that position and he’s helped a lot. When we started the season and I tell we’re going to play Matheus at right-back, Nico [O’Reilly] left-back, you’d tell me, ‘What are you talking about?!’

“But this is what it is, Manu Akanji coming back, two young central defenders, but the last two, three games, the back-four was excellent.”

Doubts were beginning to grow over the future of Matheus Nunes beyond the conclusion of the ongoing season as Manchester City and their transfer-focussed officials eye a summer of alterations in the first-team squad.

However, given the role played by the Portuguese now-defender, there remains a firmer chance that Pep Guardiola could deem Nunes as a key part of his Manchester City operation, particularly amid the expectance that Kyle Walker will leave the club for AC Milan.

The aforementioned Premier League veteran brought an end to his hugely successful stay at the Etihad Stadium during the January transfer window, joining the Italian giants on loan until the end of the season in a deal that includes an option to buy in the region of €5 million.