Manchester City have made it a priority to sign Marc Cucurella after bringing in Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips this summer, but journalist Julio Miguel Neto (h/t Sport Witness) believes the City Football Group have their sights set on a hot prospect for the future.
Flamengo attacking-midfielder Matheus França, a Brazilian international at youth level, has risen through the youth ranks to the first-team, scoring two goals with three assists from two games for the U20s and scoring two goals from nine games at senior level.
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França looks to have a bright future at breaking into Flamengo’s first-team as a teenager, but the Brazilian outfit are requesting a lot of money for his signature – €35m (£29.5m).
City are making a conscious effort to balance the books this summer, likely to stay in line with Financial Fair Player regulations, so it remains to be seen if they would pay so much money to sign the playmaker.
França has shone at youth level and continues to score goals after being promoted to the senior squad, so he’s developing at a fast pace. Real Madrid are reportedly keeping an eye on him too.
Neto doesn’t disclose whether City would loan him out to one of their feeder clubs (New York City, Melbourne City, Yokohama F. Marinos, Montevideo City Torque, Girona FC, Sichuan Jiuniu, Mumbai City FC, Lommel SK, Esperance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne, Club Bolivar) if signed, but it doesn’t seem he’d be ready to play under Pep Guardiola.