Premier League champions Manchester City missed out on a deal to sign Palmeiras winger Wesley Ribeiro Silva on the last day of the transfer window after having a £6.5 million deal rejected, as reported by Marca.
Pep Guardiola finally got to sign 18-year-old sensation Kayky after the former Fluminense wonder kid sealed a “dream” move to the Etihad in late August.
Wesley, a skilful left-winger who forced his way into the Palmeiras side last year, also emerged as a target for the men from the blue half of the Manchester divide.
It’s understood Man City offered £6.5 million – plus a further £1 million in bonuses – for the fleet-footed 22-year-old.
But unlike Sao Paulo, one of many Brazilian clubs suffering from covid-related financial woes, Palmeiras were under no pressure to cash in on a key player before the transfer window creaked shut.
The Big Green are one of the more deep-pocketed members of the Brazilian top flight and, according to Marca, would rather keep Wesley for another season or two before selling the academy graduate for a sum in excess of £10 million.
Would Wesley have had a part to play at Manchester City?
It isn’t certain what sort of role Wesley would have played at the Etihad – if any.
Man City have a habit of signing talented up-and-comers from South American football in recent seasons before loaning them out to one of their sister clubs.
It would have been no surprise to see Wesley strut his stuff for Girona or New York FC before being sold on for a tidy profit.
Perhaps he’d have joined a Troyes side that became the tenth member of ‘City Football Group’ in September 2020.
Manchester City have also expressed interest in another South American starlet. The agent of Millonarios winger Emerson Rodriguez admitted at the weekend they and Chelsea have been watching the 21-year-old closely.
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