Fabrizio Romano: €40m Man City WONDERKID deal ‘advancing fast’

Robin Bairner

9 Jan 2025 09:10 GMT
12 min read

Manchester City are close to signing Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis as Pep Guardiola’s side seek to complete their first major January transfer, Fabrizio Romano reports.

Article continues under the video

City are unusually active in the mid-season window because of poor form, with Guardiola aiming to reinforce his side’s defence and attack.

While Romano had previously confirmed that deals for Lens centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov and Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Omar Marmoush were advancing, there had been little hint that a deal for Vitor Reis was in the making.

Following hot on the heels of UOL, which announced the wheels of a transfer were turning, the football transfer news reporter offered an encouraging update for Man City fans.

“Manchester City have agreed on personal terms with Vitor Reis and his agent, contract ready and green light from 18-year-old centre-back!” Romano said.

“Negotiations are underway to close the deal with Palmeiras around €40m, with progress being made fast to avoid more clubs bidding.

“This deal is advancing fast.”

What can City fans expect from Vitor Reis?

Vitor Reis is a ball-winning centre-back who played 16 times in Brazil's Serie A for Palmeiras last season.

His strengths were his ability to regain possession and his aerial strength, while his ability to retain the ball was also a notable power that Guardiola would appreciate for his Man City team.

Data analytics firm SciSports are sceptical over Vitor Reis' ability to one day become a first-team regular at City. Instead, it predicts he is good enough to become a rotation player at the club, although his rapid development over the last six months suggests it may upgrade this status very quickly.

Vitor Reis vs Serie A defenders: 2024

Romano confirms Man City transfer talks

As well as Vitor Reis, Romano has announced that Man City are closing in on Khusanov and Marmoush, both of whom are eager to move to the Etihad Stadium.

“Khusanov, the Uzbekistan centre-back playing for Lens, remains the top target of Manchester City. The conversations are ongoing in a positive way. The agent involved is Jorge Mendes, who is taking care on the negotiations. The player is very keen on joining Manchester City,” Romano revealed on his YouTube channel.

“In terms of offensive targets, there is one player that Manchester City want right now, and that is Omar Marmoush. He’s having a fantastic season at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

“He can play as a central striker or as a winger of course. City believe he can be very similar to Julian Alvarez in covering different positions.

“He’s expensive because Eintracht were hoping to keep the player. Now the player is hoping to make this dream happen. The conversations between the player and his agents, Stellar, are ongoing, and it’s very possible.

“The negotiations between the clubs are about to start. Eintracht will not make it easy because they want to keep the player.”

With Vitor Reis close and deals for Khusanov and Marmoush to follow, City are looking at a January transfer window in which they invest easily upwards of €100m in their squad.