Over the past few weeks, we’ve covered Manchester City’s interest in signing Thiago Almada from Argentinean side Vélez Sarsfield.
Three days ago, Record in Portugal explained the midfielder is close to joining the Premier League winners, but will move to the Etihad only in 2021. He is expected to spend the next two years on loan at Sporting.
On July 25th, the same newspaper suggested the deal is expected to be made official in the coming days, with final details being sorted before making it official.
It was explained that Pep Guardiola’s side are yet to find an agreement with the 18-year-old.
Former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze is in charge at Vélez Sarsfield and he’s admitted talks are ongoing.
“I talked to Thiago more than once, but these things remain between us. You leave the role of coach, because we talk about an 18-year-old boy who has a very nice smile and I don’t want him to lose it,” Heinze said, as quoted by A Bola.
“He is a boy who has confidence and listens to me, and I tell him to look less at the phone and be more with his friends and family. It is not easy because of what is happening.”
A Bola claims Almada will join Sporting (on a loan deal) as the Portuguese club and Manchester City will ‘both pay’ his buyout clause of €16m.
Almada has been subjected to ‘enormous pressure’ by Vélez Sarsfield as they are trying to renew his contract so that they can push the price higher.
This is unlikely to happen anytime soon as the Portuguese newspaper claims the deal between Almada and City is ‘well underway’.
