Fabrizio Romano confirms Manchester City transfer interest in four right-backs this summer | OneFootball

Manchester City have compiled a shortlist containing four right-backs to explore during the upcoming summer transfer window, it has been confirmed.

The four-in-a-row Premier League champions, dethroned in the last few weeks by Liverpool, are fast-approaching a summer transfer window of utmost importance for the club from a recruitment perspective.

Having vastly underperformed and dropped well beyond their usually exceptionally-high standards, club officials are keen to get Pep Guardiola’s squad back up to its competitive best and with that requires somewhat of an overhaul.

Among the positions to be addressed is right-back, largely in light of Kyle Walker’s expected departure in the coming weeks and months with the England international not set to be a part of the club’s long-term plans.

An exit for the 34-year-old is likely to happen irrespective of whether his current loan employers AC Milan opt to trigger their buy-option worth €5 million, agreed with Manchester City back in January.

Now, as confirmed by transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento is ‘certainly’ among the right-back options currently under consideration at Manchester City ahead of the summer transfer window.

It is further revealed that Etihad Stadium officials have a four-man shortlist on their hands for the position, with a decision to be taken on who to prioritise ahead of this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.

On the subject of veteran defender Walker, it is reaffirmed that the England international will ‘100 per cent’ be leaving City on a permanent deal this summer, even if AC Milan do not look to make their temporary agreement concrete via a purchase option.

Among the other names to have been linked with Manchester City interest in the right-back role is Flamengo’s Wesley, as the Brazilian defender commands a valuation in the region of £30 million.

For now, it remains to be seen just where the 21-year-old ranks for City among their other options, with those also including Juventus duo Nicolo Savona and Andrea Cambiaso – with the latter identified as a target back in January.

The expected arrival of a new right-back will naturally raise questions over what the future holds for Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes, while the former has already been tipped by Pep Guardiola to have a pathway into the attacking midfield ranks for his side.