Manchester City report: January signing makes shock exit request

Manchester City could be set to lose one of their January signings just months after he arrived at the club.

Last season was one to forget for City; a season without a major trophy and nine losses in the Premier League, far below their self-set high standards in the Pep Guardiola era.

It provoked a month of heavy spending in January to try and correct their course, but some have found success more instantaneous than others.

Manchester City star linked with European move

City spent heavily on Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis in January, but only the first of that quartet managed to stamp any real authority on the first team.

Having struggled for minutes, two of the four have now been linked with moves away.

According to Brazilian journalist Andre Hernan, Reis has requested a loan move away ahead of the new season.

It’s believed that Portuguese side Porto and German side Bayer Leverkusen, now managed by former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, are both keen on taking the teenager for the campaign.

He is believed to be part of City’s plans, according to the report, but so far has just four first-team appearances to his name, including just a single minute on the pitch in the Premier League.

It follows news that Gonzalez, who joined at the same time as Reis, is also weighing up his options following the return of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri and the summer signing of Tijjani Reijnders, putting his access to minutes in doubt.

In FourFourTwo’s view, Reis’ eagerness for more minutes is understandable, but he may gain plenty of experience staying exactly where he is.

Guardiola has already made clear he wants a smaller squad, which means there shouldn’t be reams of new competition coming through the door. The expanded Champions League makes for a packed schedule, and John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji are all now the wrong side of 30 and not immune from injury.

Reis is still only 19 years old, and the squad picture at the Etihad means consistent first-team exposure might be closer than he thinks. At this stage of his career, there’s no need to rush to gain minutes.

Reis is valued at €30m, according to Transfermarkt.