Manchester City are set for a summer shake-up following the departure of manager Josep Guardiola, with the departure of Ruben Dias up in the air following interest from Real Madrid.
Ruben Diaz is a transfer target of new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho is planning an £80m swoop on Manchester City for Ruben Dias.
And Real Madrid are increasingly confident they can lure Diaz to the Bernabéu. Mourinho returned to Real for his second spell in charge and made Dias one of his main targets in the summer.
Real president Florentino Perez is willing to back Mourinho and is currently preparing to make his first signing for the defender. However, City are ready to do everything possible to counter the approach from the Spanish giants.
Incoming manager Enzo Maresca believes the Portuguese defender is crucial to his future plans at the Etihad. With the departure of John Stones, Diaz’s influence on the team has become even more important.
City signed Dias from Benfica in 2020 in a deal worth £60m. He went on to help City win 11 major trophies, including the 2023 Treble.
However, the departure of Josep Guardiola has cast doubt on the future of many of City’s stars. That includes Dias, who is under contract until 2028 but could be keen to take on a new challenge having won everything there was to win in Manchester.
The centre-back is part of Portugal’s World Cup squad and is keen to focus on the tournament.
Man City defender is fully focused on Portugal’s World Cup campaign
But for a player like Diaz, who Mourinho has selected to form a defensive partnership with Antonio Rudiger, the lure of a move to Real would be difficult to ignore. The real leaders are also keeping a close eye on Rodri, who is his teammate at Dias City.
The Ballon d’Or winner remains Real’s long-standing target, but even Perez recognizes that the club’s chances of pulling off a double deal with City are next to impossible.
However, City are powerless to stop Bernardo Silva, who is set to join the Spanish giants as a free agent after the competition ends. He ended his legendary career at City at the end of the season and is now free to take on new challenges.
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