EXCLUSIVE: Man City monitor Bayer Leverkusen starlet as future Rodri replacement
Steve Kay
- 24 Oct 2023 10:45 CDT
- 3 min read
Exclusive
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is monitoring 18-year-old Noah Mbamba of Bayer Leverkusen, FootballTransfers has been told.
We understand the Man City boss first identified the player two years ago when the young Belgian was at Club Brugge and played against the Premier League champions in the Champions League.
The midfielder is a ball carrier, who looks to get on the ball in deep-lying central areas and move the ball forward into the attacking third.
READ: Which football managers have been sacked this season?
He normally is the one to shield the defence, while also helping out in the attack, much like the role Rodri plays under Guardiola.
Mbamba could play this role under his current manager Xabi Alonso, who coincidentally played for Guardiola at Bayern Munich, when he gets settled into the squad at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Belguim U19's international currently has a contract with the Bundesliga club until 2028, meaning that it is likely that he will come at a premium if any club were to attempt and purchase him.
What Pep Guardiola has said on Man City’s slow start
It comes after Guardiola admitted last season’s historic treble triumph has taken a toll on the club.
The Citizens achieved the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League last campaign, being the first British side to do so since 1999.
But achievement has taken its toll on the club, the Spanish club has claimed, after a shaky start to the season for Man City.
“The Treble had an influence on all of us, me included,” he told reporters. "So we need to be there, arriving in the final moments at the end of the season, being close to the opponents and trying to do it again.
“I said many times that no one has won four Premier League titles in a row, never ever, so that shows how difficult it is. But now it’s important to be there, especially in the Champions League, qualify for the next round.
