With the signings of young center backs Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov, as well as Eintracht Frankfurt breakout superstar Omar Marmoush on the way, Manchester City have now focused their attention on Juventus left back Andrea Cambiaso.
With Manchester City outside the top four and rapidly descending after winning the Premier League in each of the four seasons, Pep Guardiola and Co. have not messed around in the January 2025 transfer window with providing this sagging squad with the reinforcements it needs.
According to renowned transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City will have direct discussions with Juventus on Friday regarding a transfer that could take place in either January or June.
Already, per Fab, Cambiaso and Man City have had positive contract discussions between them on a five-year deal with an option for another year, making it seem like a move is likely.
So who is Andrea Cambiaso and why do Manchester City want to sign him in 2025 amidst their recent crisis? Let’s take a closer look at the young Juventus standout on the flanks.
Manchester City need an attacking LB
Manchester City have needs on both flanks in the back four, as Kyle Walker has declined on the right side and the left side is currently occupied by a player who is more of a center back in a back three, Josko Gvardiol.
The Citizens need to sign someone who can create chances and progress the ball from the left side of the formation supporting whoever the left winger is, even if that is a more progressive and creative one-on-one dribbler like Jeremy Doku.
Having a left back who can win the ball and hold his own defensively is important, too, but having a left back who can reliably create chances going forward can enable Man City to ask less of their midfield and pack in more central solidity so they don’t have to overcompensate for poor output on the flanks.
This season, Cambiaso is averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.1 combined tackles and interceptions, and 1.8 dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game to highlight the sort of much-needed, all-around impact he can bring to the Manchester City lineup in 2025.
Josko Gvardiol can move back to CB
Gvardiol joined Manchester City for a whopping 90 million euros, and while he has the versatility, technical ability, athleticism, and defensive impact to be worth that fee, his impact at left back is less than ideal.
The Croatian World Cup hero is a better fit in the middle where he can read the game better, make more direct interventions, and help Manchester City set the tone in position when building up play.
Gvardiol can get more touches on the ball as a center back and make more decisive tackles. He is a center back by trade and has always been better there, so signing Cambiaso can be key to City getting their massive transfer investment back in his best role.
Andrea Cambiaso will go well with the Omar Marmoush transfer
Omar Marmoush is a legitimately world-class player who has scored 15 goals with 9 assists in 17 Bundesliga appearances this season, making him, by far, the best player in the league, even above the Bayern Munich duo of Jamal Musiala and Harry Kane.
At Manchester City, Marmoush’s best fit will be on the left wing as a secondary goal-scoring option to take pressure off Erling Haaland, functioning as closer to a supporting striker than the other top left winger in the squad, Jeremy Doku, who is an out-and0out winger.
As someone who will tuck in closer to goal, Marmoush will need a left back comfortable with creating on the overlap and functioning as something of a wide midfielder – and even a winger himself – in the attack.
Cambiaso is in the 93rd percentile in progressive carries and the 91st percentile in shot-creating actions, meaning he is a great fit for what Manchester City are looking for in terms of an assistant to Marmoush on that left flank.
He can deliver accurate crosses to Haaland, enable Marmoush to take on shots in the channel, and tirelessly work the left side of the formation so that City always have width and an additional attacking outlet to support them.
