Manchester City are weighing up a move for Benfica defender Ruben Dias in the January transfer window, according to reports in the English media.
The Portuguese international, who has also been linked with Manchester United and Arsenal, has a £59m release clause which the Citizens may look to trigger in order to strengthen their centre-back options.
Most supporters on Twitter were backing the prospective move for Dias:
Make sense
— ‘deji (@bobskino) October 10, 2019
Yes Please @ManCity. I BEG
— Adi (@Adi68595889) October 10, 2019
Go go go
— Henri? (@HDoyen) October 10, 2019
Not right away but I like this
— papite (@jgedeon1717) October 10, 2019
yes please we are sunk without one (or two)
— Alan & Maureen (@alanandmo) October 10, 2019
Some fans weren’t as positive:
He really isn’t good enough to play for Pep, how is that an actual rumour
— Cafi Floyd (@TheFloydian217) October 10, 2019
skriniar ??
— Alexis Marchal ?? (@AlexisMarchal93) October 10, 2019
Garcia?
— Nobody (@SIPA98) October 10, 2019
A centre-half is definitely a priority for City after recent performances. The 2-0 defeat to Wolves last weekend emphasised that Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho are not a reliable centre-back partnership.
With John Stones expected to return after the international break, the need for reinforcements may not seem as urgent, but the Stones-Otamendi combination was also exposed in the 3-2 loss to Norwich last month.
Dias has been widely touted as one of Europe’s most talented young defenders but it remains to be seen how he would perform in the Premier League, particularly if he was signed midway through the campaign.