Pep Guardiola had initially set his sights on retaining three of the most exciting young talents to emerge from Manchester City’s space-age academy. In the end, the Etihad boss had to settle for one.
“Like I said many times, I don’t want people that don’t want to stay here,” Guardiola said after Brahim Diaz opted to swap Manchester for Madrid, joining La Liga giants Real back in January 2019 (Bleacher Report).
“We did with Brahim everything we have done with Phil (Foden) and with Jadon (Sancho). Important players and we did absolutely everything (to keep him). The only one who decides to stay is Phil.
“We wish (Diaz) all the best. Real Madrid is not a bad step. So hopefully he can take the minutes he wants and that he didn’t want here for many reasons.”
Considering that he suddenly found himself going head-to-head with some of the greatest attacking talent on the planet at the Santiago Bernabeu, the sight of Brahim Diaz twiddling his thumbs on the Real Madrid bench was only justification for those, like Guardiola, who spent many months warning the silky Spaniard that the grass is not always greener elsewhere.
Arsenal looking at former Manchester City starlet Brahim Diaz
While technically a Real player, it is at another European giant – Serie A champions AC Milan – where the now-23-year-old Diaz is making his name. The Malaga-born schemer has spent the last three seasons on loan at San Siro, helping the Rossoneri end their long wait for Scudetto glory in 2021/22.
But judgement day is rapidly approaching. Milan, Corriere dello Sport say, have already agreed a £20 million permanent deal with Real Madrid. But the Rossoneri now suffering from a nasty case of cold feet; hoping to shake hands on a more affordable fee. Such a stance opens the door for Arsenal; former Etihad assistant Mikel Arteta reportedly aiming to add Diaz to his growing collection of former City slickers.
‘He’s a bit like Lionel Messi’
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus swapped City for Arsenal last year. Arsenal tried and failed to land Douglas Luiz too, with Diaz joining Southampton’s Romeo Lavia on Arteta’s summer wishlist.
Diaz, who scored one of his five goals this season against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, would fit in well under Arteta; another highly-technical talent capable of playing in a variety of attacking roles.
“He can win matches,” former Man City reserve Edward Francis once told Goal.
“In the Premier League, we can compare him with Eden Hazard. But he is a bit like (Lionel) Messi in the way he dribbles. It’s good to have a player like him in the team. He is also a bit like David Silva.”
Guardiola was devastated to learn that Diaz had decided to leave City for Real Madrid four years ago. Imagine how he will feel if Diaz now joins his former sparring partner Arteta at title-rivals Arsenal.
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