Manchester City have reportedly sounded out RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo as a potential transfer target – and he’s a player Pep Guardiola has already heaped praise on.
City are potentially looking at signing a wide player, after losing Riyad Mahrez earlier this summer.
The Algerian left to join Al Ahli, leaving a big hole behind him.
Mahrez was a reliable source of goals and assists for City.
He’ll be a big miss at the Etihad.
City will also be without Kevin De Bruyne for the next three to four months because of a hamstring injury.
That’s a lot of proven creativity that has gone out of the team.
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But Olmo might just be someone capable of stepping up.
And he’s a player Guardiola has previously hailed.
Pep Guardiola has had Dani Olmo’s card marked for a while
Back in 2019, City played against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
Olmo was playing for the Croatian side, and caught the City boss’ eye. Olmo actually managed to get on the scoresheet that night with a close-range volley. And he was lively throughout.
Despite a comfortable 4-1 win for City, Pep said of Olmo (via Mirror): “He’s a top player- he has a bright future, of course.
“His performance today shows it. About the transfer and the money he deserves, that is not the point. The point is he is an incredible player and I am pretty sure he is able to play in the strong leagues in Europe. Hopefully if Dinamo wants and he wants, it can happen.”
Olmo would be a lovely addition for City
Olmo has been at Leipzig for a while now, and there is a feeling he could be soon ready to take up another challenge.
Olmo has made 124 appearances for the German club, and scored 24 goals and made 39 assists.
For Zagreb he had very similar stats, making 124 appearances and scoring 34 goals and making 28 assists.
Olmo would potentially be very expensive. Leipzig are simply not going to want to lose another key player to City this summer.
But certainly the Lucas Paqueta deal doesn’t come to fruition, then it would be no surprise to see Pep order a pursuit of Olmo.