Newcastle stance on Manchester City target leaves Hugo Viana in major transfer dilemma | OneFootball

Newcastle have made their stance on selling Valentino Livramento clear as Manchester City search for a new right-back this summer, as per a new report.

Hugo Viana is set to replace Txiki Begiristain as director of football at the Etihad Stadium in the coming months and the Portuguese is spearheading Manchester City’s pursuit of a right-back as the club prepare for Kyle Walker’s exit.

Walker will not be part of the Manchester City squad travelling to the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup and with 12 months left on the England international’s contract, the former Tottenham man has been told to find a new club.

After falling out of favour with Pep Guardiola with a series of horrendous displays last fall, Walker moved to AC Milan on loan in January amidst Manchester City’s well-documented personnel problems that were exacerbated by their former club captain’s mid-season rush out of the door.

Manchester City saw Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri completed medicals over the weekend and official transfer announcements for the pair are imminent as Pep Guardiola looks to take them to the Club World Cup.

The 2023 treble winners have run out of time to complete the signing of Rayan Cherki from Lyon in time for the tournament but the clubs remain in advanced negotiations over a fee, with the France international eager to travel to England and progress with the transfer.

City are understood to be eyeing a few more additions to their squad ahead of the 2025-26 season and right-back is believed to be an area that requires urgent addressing owing to the series of makeshift options Guardiola has deployed at left-back.

Josko Gvardiol, arguably Manchester City’s best player of the 2024-25 season, spent much of the season on the left side of defence as Nathan Ake struggled with recurring injuries and though the likes of Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes and Abdukodir Khusanov have done well at right-back, Walker’s expected exit means a new signing needs to be made.

According to Chronicle Live, Newcastle have maintained their tough stance on selling Valentino Livramento amid interest from Manchester City this summer. The 22-year-old is a key target for Guardiola and Viana ahead of the new season.

With three years left on his current deal at St. James’ Park, Livramento will not come cheap and Newcastle maintain they have no intention of parting ways with the England international unless they receive an offer that is too good to refuse.

With the ongoing transfer window shutting on June 10, the Manchester City board could reopen talks with Newcastle over what it will take to sign Livramento when the window reopens in mid-July – after the Club World Cup.

Manchester City have also identified Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso as a target at right-back and will expectedly move on from Livramento should they be priced out of Newcastle’s asking price for Livramento.