Exclusive: Man City rival Chelsea & Real Madrid for Castello Lukeba

Steve Kay

Updated: 19 Nov 2024 12:37 GMT
4 min read

FootballTransfers understands that Manchester City are exploring a move for RB Leipzig centre-back Castello Lukeba as they prepare to revamp their defence in upcoming transfer windows.

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Players like Kyle Walker and, more specifically, John Stones have become the topic of discussion internally at Man City. 30-year-old England international Stones has faced persistent injury struggles, raising significant concerns about his long-term reliability within the club.

Over the past few months, Stones has dealt with a series of setbacks, including a foot injury sustained during the EFL Cup, an abductor muscle issue during a friendly against Belgium, and an ankle injury that forced him off the field in another friendly against Iceland.

These recurring issues have led to his exclusion from England’s recent international fixtures, highlighting the growing need for reinforcements in City’s defensive ranks.

We are told that Castello Lukeba is among the options under consideration at Man City. The 21-year-old France international has emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting defensive talents in recent years.

Who is Castello Lukeba?

Lukeba joined RB Leipzig from Lyon in 2023 as a direct replacement for Josko Gvardiol, who moved to City in a €90 million transfer, becoming the world's most expensive defender in the process.

Despite the pressure of filling Gvardiol’s boots, Lukeba has thrived, showcasing elite ball manipulation, strong ball-carrying and impeccable game-reading skills. His physicality, timing in tackles and ability to distribute the ball from deep have drawn comparisons to Gvardiol himself.

While at Lyon, Lukeba recorded 12 clean sheets in 58 Ligue 1 appearances, including a memorable 1-0 victory over a Paris Saint-Germain team featuring Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

Since moving to Leipzig, his development has been closely monitored by Man City scouts, who view him as a potential cornerstone of their future defence.

© IMAGO - Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic

How much would Castello Lukeba cost?

The Premier League champions are far from the only side impressed with the Frenchman's career trajectory. Even before he joined Leipzig, Lukeba was on the radar of city rivals Man Utd.

More recently, credible interest has emerged from Chelsea and Real Madrid. A potential stumbling block could be his cost, however, as RB Leipzig are in a strong negotiating position.

When he joined the club, the centre-back penned a long-term contract with a €90m release clause for 2025 and a €65m clause for 2026. Last month, the Red Bulls rewarded him with a new deal that also allowed the club to restructure his termination clauses.

While it would still require a world record-matching €90m to sign him next year, an €80m release clause has been inserted for 2026, pushing the €65m one back to 2027.

This means that Leipzig stand to benefit massively in one way or another. Either they keep hold of Lukeba beyond 2025 because clubs are unwilling to pay €90m or they turn a €60m profit on a €30m investment.

In 2023, Man City showed themselves willing to break the bank to sign a Leipzig defender. It remains to be seen whether they will do the same again in 2025.