Amid the big-money signings at Manchester City this summer, there were also several arrivals on the younger side.
City have spent the last few years hoovering up talent from around the world, with the club determined to build for now and the future.
That saw them sign up the likes of Pedro Porro and Ryotaro Meshino to bolster the youth ranks and keep an eye on the future.
One player who was linked throughout the transfer window but didn’t arrive was Ecuadorian José Cifuentes.
Pep Guardiola’s side were seemingly keen on the CD América de Quito midfielder, and various reports had them and the likes of Celtic chasing his signature.
A move to the Etihad never happened, and we later covered a report that stated he was being urged to forget about the failed transfer since Porto had come forward.
However, that’s something he doesn’t appear all that keen on doing as he talked about the failed move to the Premier League in a recent interview, confirming there was a bid from the Cityzens.
“All contacts are closed, it was published by the club owner, that they are not going to sell me, they need me,” he told the press, relayed by Ecuavisa.
“I have the desire to leave the country. That discourages me a lot personally because every player thinks about leaving but now that the opportunity is here they won’t give it to me.”
“My future is complicated, there are already two offers rejected by the club that has my sporting rights, the truth is I want to leave, but they won’t let me.”
“The offers were from Manchester City, Porto and one from the United States.”
However, StudioFutból claim the offer wasn’t directly from the Premier League champions, but from the ‘conglomerate’ who own them, meaning City Football Group.
That would suggest the player was never intended for Manchester City, but would have rather been signed and immediately shipped out on loan to bolster one of the satellite teams (Girona?).
