Manchester City may already have their ideal replacement for Riyad Mahrez should the winger walk away from the club this summer.
Earlier this week, it was claimed that Saudi Arabia club, Al-Ahli, are preparing to make an offer to sign Mahrez, who that have had their eyes on for the past few weeks.
Should the Algerian decide to call an end to his time with Pep Guardiola’s side, one player that, we feel, the Citizens could look to as their ideal replacement for the winger is Cole Palmer.
Palmer could be City’s ideal Mahrez replacement
Having made his senior debut back in September 2020, the Englishman has now made 38 appearances for the first team across all competitions, scoring four goals and delivering two assists in the process.
Last season saw the City youth graduate feature in 25 games, seven of which he started, which shows that Guardiola sees him as a useful squad figure that can help in terms of rotation.
Featuring in numerous midfield and attacking positions, this showcases Palmer’s versatility, which is something Mahrez hasn’t been able to offer City having predominantly resided in a right-wing role.
Should the 32-year-old make a move to Saudi in the current window, this could pave the way for the youngster to get a regular role in the team and show Guardiola that he has what it takes to perform on a consistent basis.
Even though goal contributions haven’t been particularly consistent in the senior side as they have been for Mahrez, a consistent period in the team could give him the platform to start scoring goals or delivering assists.
With the City manager previously highlighting the “special quality” Palmer has, the winger may not need to do much in terms of convincing the Spaniard he has the ability to play regularly in the first team, only that he’s ready to take up the challenge.
