Manchester City set price cap on transfer pursuit for Chelsea’s Malo Gusto

Manchester City set price cap on transfer pursuit for Chelsea’s Malo Gusto Manchester City are refusing to be held ransom by Chelsea officials over their interest in Malo Gusto. Incoming boss Enzo Maresca is seeking a competitor to challenge Matheus Nunes in the right-back role. Alternatives like Feyenoord’s Givairo Read remain on the agenda. Officials at Manchester City have now set a maximum fee they would be willing to pay in order to sign Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto this summer, according to reports. Following the conclusion of the Pep Guardiola era, Hugo Viana is focused on equipping the club’s incoming manager Enzo Maresca with a specialist right-back capable of challenging and rotating with Matheus Nunes. While City have already demonstrated immense financial muscle – finalising a club record £116 million deal for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson – Viana has zero intention of overpaying for secondary positions. This search for premium defensive depth has forced City to thoroughly review the market over the early weeks of the summer, having previously considered Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro before the Spaniard’s new contract extension in North London. Concurrently, Feyenoord’s Givairo Read continues to stand as a premier candidate, although Maresca may be eager to instead add immediate Premier League quality to his ranks. Man City stand firm on Gusto valuation Now, according to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke , Manchester City are unwilling to meet  Chelsea’s £75 million price tag for  Malo Gusto , and while the 23-year-old right-back is a target for the Etihad Stadium, they would only be willing to pay as much as £45 million. The France international is said to be a target for ‘numerous’ clubs, although no one is willing to meet the valuation at Stamford Bridge , with Chelsea bosses willing to allow an exit for the defender if a bid at their rate comes in. Man City may look to Rotterdam The significant gap in valuation between the two Premier League giants may prove the deciding factor in a deal stumbling at the first hurdle, all while Chelsea continue in securing a €55 million deal for Serie A Defender of the Year Marco Palestra from Atalanta . For City, deploying a £45 million valuation cap represents a firm boundary and should those within Todd Boehly’s boardroom refuse to compromise, Hugo Viana is seemingly prepared to walk away from any discussions around a move for the France international. Manchester City could yet directly pivot toward Feyenoord’s Givairo Read , with the highly rated 20-year-old Dutchman likely to command a far more accessible fee, despite competition from Bayern Munich for his signature.