Manchester City reportedly have big plans in place for Brazilian youngster Yan Couto, despite the defender not playing a single minute for Pep Guardiola’s side.
According to journalist Jorge Nicola, the Premier League title favourites are keen to develop the right-back than sell him for a profit amid growing interest from the likes of Brazilian giants Flamengo, with City predicting Couto could one day feature for the senior team.
Labelled as an ‘exceptional’ talent by Nicola, the 20-year-old has spent this season out on loan with La Liga side Girona, where Couto has been in and out of the starting XI, making nine starts in all competitions for the Catalan club and featuring in 19 matches.
With Couto starting and bagging an assist against Real Madrid this week in a 4-2 win, though, there’s every chance that the South American will get a run of games between now and the end of the season, and for City, they are seemingly keen on developing the defender.
Indeed, right-back is a position Guardiola has experimented with heavily this season, with Kyle Walker starting last night against Arsenal though the likes of John Stones and even Bernardo Silva have taken up the role across the year, yet Couto could be an ideal long-term option in the starting XI.
Manchester City could soon see Couto starting at right-back
Couto might have had a mixed year with Girona, but given the defender’s age and how highly-rated the youngster is at City, there’s a good chance we could soon see the Brazilian youth international one day line-up alongside the likes of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
Whilst the move might still be some seasons away, the fact that City already have plans for Couto is a telling sign that the Manchester side could be ready to promote the defender as a successor to Walker, who could soon need replacing should Guardiola push Rico Lewis into central midfield like many predict.
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