Palmeiras manager blames himself for Manchester City transfer exit after ‘talking too much’ to incoming Etihad Stadium boss | OneFootball

Manchester City supporters may have Hugo Viana to thank for one of their three incoming arrivals during the January transfer window, it has been suggested.

The Sporting CP director of football was confirmed late last year to be the successor to Manchester City’s long-standing sporting director, Txiki Begiristain – who will be leaving the Etihad Stadium after 12 seasons at the club.

The belief and official word from the Premier League champions was that while Viana would not be officially brought in until the summer, he would undergo a period of integration from February to smoothen the transition between directors.

However, it appears as though work has started at the earliest opportunity for the 42-year-old, who was not only spotted in Manchester alongside Begiristain earlier this month, but has publicly been revealed to have been somewhat responsible for one of City’s new recruits.

Speaking during a recent press conference, Palmeiras’ manager Abel Ferreira admitted that he may have spoken “too much” with his friend, Viana regarding Vitor Reis, ultimately leading to City’s incoming Director of Football pushing for a transfer for the centre-back.

“Maybe we sold Vitor (Reis to Manchester City) because I talked too much with whom I shouldn’t have. It happens,” Ferreira told reporters recently.

He continued, “When you talk to other clubs’ sporting directors about your squad, players, and they believe a lot in what you say, that was it; a good afternoon, well said conversations, and you end up selling a player like that.”

However, the Palmeiras coach admitted that while it is no doubt a blow to lose a player of Vitor Reis’ quality, the player himself is deserving of a move of such magnitude, despite being only 19-years-old.

“He deserves it, he’s a lad who has it all; technical, tactical, physical, mental. A boy with values,” Ferreira said.

“I told this to our president: ‘On one hand I’m sad as the manager, on the other I recognise we can’t refuse such an offer. I also value the work from everyone within our training ground.”

Manchester City are believed to have finalised a £29.5 million agreement with Palmeiras for the highly-rated and versatile defender, bringing the player to the club immediately despite the Brazilian side aiming to retain him until after the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.