Football expert backed Man City to bid for €80m-rated ‘baby-faced assassin’ defender

South American football expert Tim Vickery has backed Manchester City to sign Atletico Madrid defender Jose Giménez as alternatives for Kalidou Koulibaly.

A recent report by The Times claimed earlier in the summer that Gimenez was Pep Guardiola’s number-one defensive target despite their widely reported interest in Koulibaly.

The Citizens have been trying to sign Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for much of the transfer window. It’s been a hard fight, with the Serie A club’s president wanting a huge fee and being unrealistic regarding his prospects of getting it.

City are reported to already have personal terms with the player but are refusing to match Aurelio de Laurentiis’ huge asking price for the defender. It is understood City had offered as much as £70m, leaving the two clubs apart in terms of the final fee.

Reports earlier this week by AS claimed that City had offered €89 million plus €5 million in bonuses to Atletico Madrid for the central defender.

The Guardian yesterday reported that the Citizens are targeting Sevilla’s Diego Carlos and Atletico Maldrid’s Jose Giménez as alternatives to Koulibaly if Napoli are not prepared to lower their demands of of about €80m (£73.2m) for the center-back.

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But according to South American football expert Tim Vickery on the Transfer Talk via Sky Sports, City may not have opened talks for the Uruguay international yet.

“I’ve heard that if Man City haven’t made a bid, they’re certainly contemplating one,” Vickery told Sky Sports.

“It’s going to cost a lot of money with the Uruguayan press speculating it will be in the region of €80m to get this centre-back from Atletico to City but it’s an area of the team that really does need strengthening.

“Gimenez is one of the best young centre-backs around. He’s a baby-faced assassin. He’s only 25 but looks younger, but he’s already played in two World Cups. He’s as hard as nails and he can play as well.

“It would be a costly piece of business for Manchester City but it would be a very good one.”

The resolute centre-back has become one of Europe’s most highly-rated defenders in recent years after making 191 appearances in all competitions for Atletico Madrid in a seven year spell which has seen him win four major trophies.

With our first game of the season away at Wolves now under two weeks, the club will do well to seal a deal for a central defender as the position remains the biggest area of need.