Man City is in a ‘pole position’ to re-sign former player Romeo Lavia as a possible replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The City captain etched his name into club folklore with a heroic final-day brace to clinch his side a Premier League title last year, but he could well be on the way out.
Gundogan’s current deal is set to expire at the end of this season as things stand, a potential exit that would draw the curtain on seven brilliant years at Eastlands.
The German international came to Manchester as manager Pep Guardiola‘s first-ever signing but reports suggest that City is making plans over who could succeed him.
According to O’Rourke, writing for Football Insider, City could ‘explore the possibility’ of re-signing Lavia as a possible replacement for Gundogan.
It’s claimed they’re currently in ‘pole position’ ahead of other suitors, mainly due to the £ 40 million buy-back clause inserted into his Southampton deal last summer.
As Guardiola and the club list transfer targets to succeed Gundogan, we believe Lavia would be one of the more astute options – both financially and in terms of quality.
The 19-year-old has become a star under Ruben Selles on the south coast with members of the Saints media calling him ‘crucial’ and a ‘classy player’.
The ‘sensational’ Lavia was once deemed among City’s rising stars, even earning comparisons with club legend Fernandinho.
City hero Vincent Kompany has also seriously endorsed the midfielder in past seasons, saying he was what Guardiola is ‘looking for’ in midfield whilst hailing his aggression and serious potential.
Already knowing the club and first team, Lavia’s transition into a City senior squad member would be a smooth one.
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