Manchester City are being linked with a host of defensive-midfielders as Fernandinho could be on his way out when his contract expires this summer and one player they have on their radar is Manuel Locatelli.
The Sky Blues are monitoring Fabian Ruiz, Ismael Bennacer, Denis Zakaria, Adrien Rabiot and Douglas Luiz as potential replacements for Fernandinho, but Sassuolo director Giovanni Carnevali hopes it’s Locatelli they go for, as he ‘deserves’ to join a ‘great club’.
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He told Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia): “My hope is that it’s a great club (he joins) Whether it’s Juve or City or others of global value, I don’t know. He deserves it and has the characteristics to aspire to play there.”
After a successful loan move in 2018/19, Locatelli joined Sassuolo permanently from AC Milan in 2019 and has gone on to make 58 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and supplying six assists (Transfermarkt).
The 23-year-old has been a regular under Roberto De Zerbi this season, featuring in 24 of Sassuolo’s 26 Serie A games, so he’s an important player at the Mapei Stadium. And with two years left on his contract, Sassuolo are still in a strong position where they can request big money for Locatelli’s signature.
The 6ft powerhouse has averaged a tackle (65) or interception (38) every 21 minutes in 2020/21 (WhoScored), so he could be a brilliant successor for Fernandinho. City might wait until his future is resolved before they register interest in potential replacements, however, so it may be weeks and months before they step up their pursuit for a player.