Reis 'one of the best' recent defenders for Girona

[Getty Images] Manchester City continue to await the arrival of their new manager but forgotten defender Vitor Reis will be back in the building following his season-long loan spell in La Liga. The Brazilian spent the 2025-26 campaign at City's sister club Girona and though they were agonisingly relegated on the final day of the season, the 20-year-old grew into one of their standout performers. His time at Girona did not start particularly well, sent off in only his fifth game against Levante in September and he had to adapt to a new country, new team-mates and find consistency in his performances. But Girona commentator Miquel Agut Riera told BBC Sport he improved game by game and things clicked by the end of November, and by the end of the season, he was one of the players who manager Michel "could rely on". "If he plays for Manchester City next season, he has already faced the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona and was outstanding," Riera said. "He improved a lot in physical terms. In the beginning he was not that consistent in the duels and that is what people told me before he arrived - he was skilful but not that strong. "He became stronger in the duels and Girona played very offensive football so there were wide spaces in behind him, but he was always able to run quickly backwards towards his own goal as well as forwards. "Once he became a physical player, he was almost unbeatable. He was one of the best defenders we have had at Girona in the past few seasons." Reis will be given the opportunity to make an impression on City's trip to the Far East next month as he aims to nail down a first-team spot, but he may still end up going out on loan again should the current plan not work out. "If Girona stayed up in La Liga, many fans will have hoped he could have spend a second season on loan at the club," Riera added. "After relegation, that is not possible."