Man City keen on signing this 16-year-old Barcelona starlet – How good an investment could this be?

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Siddharth

Why Juan Larios would be a good fit for Manchester City

According to Daily Mail, Manchester City are on the verge of signing highly-rated Barcelona defender Juan Larios.

Larios, who turned 16 last January, is a product of Barcelona’s famous ‘La Masia’ academy and has been capped six times by Spain’s under-15 side. He has kept three clean sheets in the process, giving a clear glimpse of his talent.

If Larios makes the switch to the Etihad, it will be City’s 9th signing in the last three months as City continue their recruitment of emerging talents.

Manchester City are keeping an eye on Barcelona academy player Juan Larios.
Manchester City are keeping an eye on Barcelona academy player Juan Larios. (Image Credits: Twitter)

Even if Larios moves to City, he would not be a guaranteed starter, with the side already having talented full-backs Josh Wilson-Esbrand and Oscar Tarensi, who are a year older than him.

Larios can offer Manchester City a secure future

Meanwhile, the left-back role has been a problem position for manager Pep Guardiola’s City in recent times. The 2018-19 Premier League champions have failed to find a consistent and regular face at left-back despite having as many as three players in their ranks.

Also, City defensive concerns have been one of the major reasons why the side lost their title to current champions Liverpool. Guardiola has mostly relied on Frenchman Benjamin Mendy this season after he made a return to the side following a long injury lay off.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola gives instructions to his player during a match.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola gives instructions to his player during a match. (Getty Images)

They also have Oleksandr Zinchenko and Angelino in that role. However, the former has missed the majority of this season due to injury. Angelino, on the other hand, has failed to impress Guardiola, that saw him being loaned off to Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig in the winter transfer window.

Though Angelino has now returned to his parent club, his mere six league appearances this term makes it evident that he is clearly not one of Guardiola’s favourites. Main-man Mendy, meanwhile, has managed just 49 appearances for City despite moving to the club from French side Monaco three years ago.

He has spent the majority of his time at the Etihad on the sidelines due to various injuries and this remains a major concern for City. That said, City’s decision to rope in rising left-back Juan Larios from Barcelona looks like a wise move.

Left-back Benjamin Mendy has spent the major share of his time at Manchester City on the sidelines due to various injuries.
Left-back Benjamin Mendy has spent the major share of his time at Manchester City on the sidelines due to various injuries. (Getty Images)

At the very least, City will be assured of a safe future if they manage to fill their academy setup with talents such as Larios. Hence, they should definitely pursue their interest in him.

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Verdict

Manchester City have enough back-up at left-back. However, none of them has really nailed down the spot, meaning an addition like Larios would help them develop a young talent. Larios could thus be an excellent future investment for the former champions.