Manchester City cult hero Stuart Pearce has delivered his verdict on Tino Livramento amid interest in the Newcastle United star from the Citizens.
Manchester City have been very active on the transfer front this summer, but they could still do with a new right-back.
Kyle Walker has left City to join Burnley, while Matheus Nunes can play as an auxiliary right-back but is a midfielder by trade.
City are ‘persisting with their interest’ for Livramento, although they’re still weighing up whether to make a bid, according to Dean Jones.
Pearce, who previously played for Man City and also spent time as manager and coach, has now spoken about how Livramento compares to Walker.
Stuart Pearce doubts Tino Livramento is as good at defending as Kyle Walker
Stuart Pearce has claimed that, while he rates Tino Livramento highly going forward, he’s “not sure” whether he’s on the same level as Kyle Walker defensively.
“The beauty of Kyle Walker, if you’re doing a direct comparison, Kyle could defend one-on-one, and he was nigh-on impossible to get past,” Pearce told SportsMole.
“Livramento’s good going forward; I’m not sure defensively that he’s got the nous of Kyle Walker.
“I worked with Kyle as a young man; he matured, got better and better and understood the game the older he got.
“[Livramento and Daniel Munoz] are not, for me, out-and-out, top-quality defensive right-backs that can offer something going forward as well, like Kyle Walker did.”
Interestingly, Walker himself described Livramento as a “great” player on the Kyle Walker podcast earlier this year.
READ MORE: Manchester City could now sell player who has ‘the world at his feet’ for £8m this summer
The right-backs Manchester City have just missed out on
Livramento remains on Man City’s radar, but he’s not the only right-back in this position.
Transfer insider Graeme Bailey understands that City remain interested in Juventus pair Andrea Cambiaso and Nicolo Savona.
Ironically, Newcastle also have an interest in Savona, who can play right-back or in central defence.
Bailey can also confirm that City were also offered Denzel Dumfries earlier in the summer but opted not to make a move, despite talks.
Dumfries had a near £20million release clause that expired in mid-July.
