While Kyle Walker is still an important player for Manchester City the time is coming when the world champions will have to replace their right-back. Who the champions could turn to to fill Walker’s sizable shoes will be a story to watch for when the time to replace the England international arrives. With that in mind, the champions appear poised to sell Yan Couto to Borussia Dortmund. But are Manchester City about to lose a player who could’ve potentially replaced Walker? That may be something to watch for going forward.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported via X that Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund have a verbal agreement in place for Couto to join Dortmund. Romano further reports that the transfer fee that City will receive is €25 million plus add-ons. Furthermore, Romano adds that Yan Couto is expected to travel to Germany this week to complete his medical with Dortmund.
Is Manchester City’s potential Kyle Walker replacement about to slip through their fingers?
As previously mentioned the time for Manchester City to replace Kyle Walker is coming. It may not arrive this summer but it will come sooner rather than later. That will be no easy task for the world champions. But could Brazilian international Yan Couto have been that player? On closer inspection he appears to be a quality player in the making but one that isn’t suited to Pep Guardiola’s squad.
During his loan spell at Girona last season Yan Couto shined going forward. He was a contract threat going forward for the La Liga surprise packets. His form last season showed that Couto is a prototypical Brazilian full-back. One that can bomb forward for 90 minutes and provide a threat up front. The problem for Couto and what looks to have impeded his chances of making an impact at Manchester City is his defensive deficiencies. As good as he is going forward, he can be exploited defensively at times. A player like that couldn’t be City’s Kyle Walker replacement. There could potentially one day be a role for an attacking right-back in City’s squad. But that day doesn’t appear to be just yet.
There is no doubt that Yan Couto could develop that side of his game at Borussia Dortmund. He is an extremely talented player. But for now, he doesn’t appear to be a player suited to a role at Manchester City. One day it may be a case of City having sold their potential Kyle Walker replacement. But as of right now it looks that Rico Lewis is that player and not Yan Couto despite what he offers going forward.
If you are in the school of thought that says the likes of Angelino, Sergio Gomez and even Oleks Zinchenko cannot defend adequately, and so will not reach the required level at City, then you will shed no tears about the decision to allow Yan Couto to move on. Whilst he has much to offer, going forward, City have plenty of better midfielders in those attacking roles, not least of which will be Yan Couto’s team-mate at Girona, Savio. . Even in Pep’s sides, defenders have to be able to defend.