The Portuguese champions will face Enzo Maresca’s side without Jan Bednarek, a key figure in their defence. His absence should force manager Francesco Farioli to field a much less experienced partnership.

O Jogo and Jornal de Notícias both explain that Bednarek must serve a two-match UEFA suspension. He received a straight red card against Nottingham Forest in last season’s Europa League.

That means the former Southampton defender will miss the meetings with Manchester City and Real Betis.

Nehuén Pérez set for major test

That means Nehuén Pérez should replace Bednarek and partner Jakub Kiwior against City.

The Argentine has played in every league match this season. However, he has started only once, against Rio Ave. He managed 69 minutes and scored in that game.

That was his longest appearance since suffering a complete Achilles tendon rupture in September 2025. Pérez required surgery and spent eight months on the sidelines.

He has not completed 90 minutes since facing Sporting in September last year. Now he looks set to make his Champions League debut against one of Europe’s strongest sides.

Porto have conceded only once this season, so City will face a defence in good form. Even so, Bednarek’s absence takes a lot of experience out of that back line.

The 30-year-old has made more than 400 senior appearances. He has also represented Poland at two World Cups and two European Championships.

City have a huge experience advantage

Bednarek’s suspension adds to a wider issue for Porto. O Jogo points out that 15 of their 25 registered players have never played in the Champions League. Only ten have featured in the competition before. Just five have done so while representing Porto.

Farioli will also make his own Champions League debut from the dugout. He cannot call upon the injured Victor Froholdt, Samu Aghehowa or Oskar Pietuszewski either.

City’s squad sits at the opposite end of the scale. Ten of Maresca’s players have already made at least 20 appearances in the competition. Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden alone have played 146 Champions League games between them. That is more than Porto’s entire squad combined.

Farioli knows the size of the challenge. After Porto’s win over Moreirense, he described City as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.

“It will be an important game against a team who have invested almost €550m (£478m),” he said.

“It is clearly one of the favourites to win the trophy. It is a mountain to climb, but we are FC Porto. They are coming to the Dragão, and we will do everything possible to make life difficult for them.”

The home crowd should give Porto a lift. City, though, will arrive with a major advantage in European experience and a clear target in the hosts’ reshuffled defence.

The post Manchester City boost ahead of clash – Key player out and huge experience gap exposed appeared first on Sport Witness.

The 20-year-old completed his move to Portugal this week. It’s a loan for the season, but Benfica have an option to keep him permanently. Should that happen, City already have their own way of getting Echeverri back.

Record reports that Manchester City secured a €50m (£43.4m) buyback clause as part of the agreement.

Manchester City have protected themselves

There is some disagreement in Portugal over exactly how much Benfica would need to pay first. Record puts their purchase option at €21m (£18.2m). Correio da Manhã has it for €22m (£19.1m), with another €8m (£6.9m) available through bonuses. That could take the deal to €30m (£26m).

Correio da Manhã also confirms the buyback option, although they don’t provide the €50m (£43.4m) figure. Either way, the thinking from City is pretty clear.

They can let Echeverri build his career elsewhere and potentially collect a sizeable fee next summer. If he takes off at Benfica, there’s also a route to bring him back.

That’s useful protection for a player they paid €18m (£15.6m) for when he was only 17.

Marco Silva specifically wanted Echeverri

Correio da Manhã says Echeverri was an express request from Marco Silva. So this wasn’t Benfica taking a chance on ‘just’ another talented youngster.

The manager identified the Argentine’s profile several weeks ago. Benfica’s scouting department put various options on the table, and Silva approved the Manchester City youngster.

He is expected to compete with Sudakov for the attacking midfield role. That could be important after a difficult first season in Europe for Echeverri.

He spent the first half of last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen before moving to Girona. Neither spell really gave him the platform City would have wanted.

There is at least some Benfica history already. Echeverri started for Leverkusen when they beat the Portuguese side 1-0 at the Estádio da Luz in November 2025.

Already getting settled in Lisbon

Echeverri has now had his first training session with Benfica. Record explains that he underwent physical testing, worked in the gym and then joined his new teammates on the pitch.

Long-time friend Gianluca Prestianni has been helping him settle in. Echeverri was also welcomed by the likes of Aursnes and Palhinha.

He will wear number 30, previously used by fellow Argentine (and former Manchester City player) Nicolás Otamendi.

Benfica have already registered him for domestic and European competition. Correio da Manhã says he could travel with the squad to Madeira on Friday. City can now watch from a distance and see whether Portugal finally gets the best out of Echeverri.

If it does, that €50m (£43.4m) route back to Manchester could become very relevant.

The post Manchester City secure €50m route to bring player back – Could generate €30m first appeared first on Sport Witness.

That’s according to Bild, who report Manchester City were chasing the 22-year-old for several months.

Player said no to Manchester City 

Two months ago, Sport Witness covered a report from Spain explaining that the Citizens want to sign young midfielders.

The 22-year-old, Barcelona’s Marc Bernal and Ayyoub Bouaddi were on their list and the English club ended up signing the latter from Lille.

Bild journalist Christian Falk states Manchester City first made an approach for Aleksandar Pavlović in March. Enzo Maresca’s predecessor, Pep Guardiola, was then in charge at the Etihad.

“You really have to let that sink in. A €100m offer from Manchester City for Pavlović, and the young man says ‘no.’ That’s really impressive. He asked for some time to think it over,” he said.

“To our knowledge, the first inquiry was back in March. At that time, he was City’s number one choice for that position.”

The Bild head of football adds the German international’s rejection came as a surprise for the Premier League side.

“I heard they (Manchester City) were flabbergasted. They didn’t expect that. They probably would have been willing to negotiate a higher amount with Bayern as well. But there wasn’t even an official offer because Pavlović said, ‘No, I’m not coming anyway’,” Falk explained.

Clear plan after rejecting Manchester City 

Aleksandar Pavlović made his way into the Bundesliga side’s first team in 2023, after graduating from their academy. He has played 102 matches so far, managing eight goals and six assists and has a contract until 2029.

Bild reporter Julian Agardi says the Germany international’s goal is to win the Champions League with Bayern Munich.

“Pavlović is from Munich, he was born here. There are photos of him as a little boy in a Bayern Munich jersey. He still makes no secret of the fact that he’s a Bayern fan. And you can tell that every time you talk to him,” he added.

“He also has many good buddies in the dressing room: Tom Bischof, Lennart Karl, Nene Brown. And yet it’s remarkable that he rejected this offer outright. That shows that he has absolutely no thoughts of leaving but rather feels completely at home at Bayern and sees his future with the club.”

The Etihad club invested big on three midfielders; Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernández in the summer.

The post Manchester City ‘flabbergasted’ by player’s rejection – Maresca’s side were ready to offer €100m appeared first on Sport Witness.

The two came through the Brazilian club’s academy before making expensive moves to City. Now Reis has explained he’s helping Allan with the early stages of his adaptation to Manchester.

Speaking to ESPN Brazil, the defender welcomed the chance to have another Palmeiras academy graduate alongside him.

“I’m trying to help Allan”

“It’s really nice to have two players who came from Palmeiras here at Manchester City,” Reis said.

“It shows the strength of the work done in the academy and the quality of the players who are coming through.”

“I’m trying to help Allan at the beginning, especially with some aspects of adapting, so he can feel more and more comfortable.”

Having Reis around should make things a little easier for Allan. He was officially announced by Manchester City on August 31 after leaving Palmeiras for €37.5m (£32.4m) guaranteed.

Another €2.5m (£2.2m) is attached to easily achievable bonuses, taking the expected package to €40m (£34.6m).

Reis knows exactly what the move involves. City signed him from Palmeiras in January 2025 for €37m (£32m), before sending him to Girona on loan last season.

The centre-back is now back in Manchester and can help Allan with more than translating what is being said around him. Both developed at the same Brazilian club before suddenly finding themselves dealing with life at one of Europe’s biggest sides.

That gives Allan someone around the squad who understands exactly where he has come from.

Allan already training with Manchester City

The adaptation process is already underway on the pitch as well. ESPN Brazil report Allan has been training with Manchester City’s first-team squad since completing his move.

He could now be included in the squad to face Coventry City on Saturday. That would be a quick introduction to English football for the 22-year-old.

It also gives us an early indication of City’s immediate plans for him. Of course Reis was eventually sent to Girona after his own move from Palmeiras – a move that, according to him, totally paid off. But Allan, for now, is being integrated directly into the Manchester City group.

Reis has had to be patient himself since returning from Spain. Across City’s first three competitive matches this season, his only appearance came late in the 4-1 away victory over Crystal Palace on August 28.

For now, then, both former Palmeiras youngsters are trying to establish themselves in Manchester. Reis is a little further along that process – and he’s making sure Allan doesn’t have to start his own from scratch.

The post “I’m trying to help” – Manchester City player takes new signing under his wing appeared first on Sport Witness.

Claudio Echeverri arrived in Lisbon on Tuesday night ahead of completing his move away from Manchester City.

The 20-year-old landed after 11pm and is set to join Benfica on loan until the end of the season. Record confirmed the agreement includes an option to buy.

There’s been no official announcement yet, but Echeverri himself made clear that should be the next step.

Speaking after his arrival on Tuesday night, the Argentine said he expected to sign on Wednesday. That would then clear the way for Benfica and Manchester City to make the transfer official.

Echeverri spoke to Manchester City pair

Echeverri arrived in Portugal clearly happy with the move and revealed some of the conversations behind his decision. His first contact was with Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni, his compatriot and someone he already knows well.

“Yes, he was the first person I spoke to,” Echeverri said. “I’m very happy to be here and to have received his message.”

“I can’t say much, so hopefully tomorrow I can sign and everything goes well.”

The Manchester City youngster had also been in contact with his new manager, Marco Silva.

“Yes, I also spoke with the manager. I’m very happy to be here,” he said.

Echeverri then revealed he’d sought advice from two Manchester City teammates who know Benfica particularly well.

“I also spoke with Rúben Dias at City and with Bernardo Silva, so I’m very happy to be here.”

Both came through Benfica before eventually ending up at Manchester City, so Echeverri had two useful sources of information close at hand.

Why Echeverri chose Benfica

The 20-year-old was also reminded of the Argentine players who have represented Benfica. Pablo Aimar, Javier Saviola, Nicolás Otamendi and Ángel Di María were mentioned to him at the airport.

“Very important players have played for this great club, Benfica, and hopefully I can repeat what they did,” Echeverri said.

“I hope I can help the team win trophies, because Benfica deserve it. They’re the biggest team in Portugal and I hope I can help.”

He was then asked directly about his decision to join Benfica and what attracted him to Portuguese football.

“I chose Benfica because, as I said before, they’re the biggest club in Portugal and one of the most important teams in Europe as well,” he said.

“I know that I can grow a lot here and that’s what I hope to do. Now I hope I can help the team.”

Loan with option to buy

Record’s information also brings some clarity over the structure of the Manchester City deal.

We covered that Benfica were closing in on a season-long loan with an option to buy. Then we brought an update that an obligation to buy or even an immediate permanent transfer had entered discussions.

With Echeverri now in Lisbon, Record says the final arrangement is a loan until the end of the season with an option to buy.

That means Manchester City retain control over the youngster for now, although Benfica will have a route to making his stay permanent.

For Echeverri, the immediate priority is getting the move formally completed and starting the next stage of his development.

The announcement is the final piece still missing.

The post Manchester City youngster ready to sign today – Spoke to Dias and Bernardo Silva about move appeared first on Sport Witness.

The Portuguese club were already close to taking the Argentine on loan with an option to buy. Less than 24 hours later, the structure being discussed has changed.

Portugal’s Maisfutebol reports Benfica have advanced in talks with Manchester City and are close to completing the signing.

A loan remains possible, but it could now contain an obligation to buy. The two clubs are also discussing simply making the transfer permanent straight away.

That is a quite a shift for a player City had initially been looking to keep close control of his development.

€10-15m deal being discussed

There are now figures attached to the negotiations as well. According to Maisfutebol, Benfica are discussing a deal worth between €10m (£8.6m) and €15m (£12.9m) with the City Football Group.

Manchester City would also retain a percentage of Echeverri’s rights as part of the agreement.

The two sides are currently sorting out the final details, with Benfica now described as being close to getting the deal done.

That takes Sunday’s developments a bit further. At that point, the proposed agreement was a season-long loan with an option to buy. Now that option could become an obligation, or the loan could be removed from the equation altogether.

City could accept less than they paid

There’s another interesting element to the numbers being discussed. Manchester City paid around €18.5m (£15.9m) to sign Echeverri from River Plate in 2023, according to Maisfutebol.

Therefore, a permanent transfer at the reported €10-15m (£8.6-12.9m) range would see City receive a lower initial fee than they originally committed to the Argentine.

Keeping a percentage of his rights could help balance that. Echeverri is still only 20, so City would retain an interest in his future value should Benfica develop him and eventually sell him for considerably more.

There are still final details to resolve, including exactly which structure the clubs settle on. But the direction is set, and Echeverri could now be leaving City for good rather than simply heading out on loan number three.

The post Manchester City could sell youngster for €10-15m after loan – Club to retain percentage appeared first on Sport Witness.

Manchester City have changed course on Claudio Echeverri again, and this time things appear to be moving very quickly.

Recent reports from Argentina had Enzo Maresca planning to keep the 20-year-old around and give him minutes. That wasn’t so accurate after all.

South American journalist César Luis Merlo, reporting for Tribuna, revealed earlier today that City have decided to send Echeverri out on loan again.

The plan is for him to continue playing in Europe, with a place in Maresca’s squad no longer under consideration for this season.

Initially, there were three possibilities. Benfica, Real Betis and Sheffield United had all shown interest. A few hours later, the picture became much clearer.

Benfica move now very advanced

Merlo’s latest update says Benfica have the Echeverri deal “practically on track”. Talks are very advanced and the proposed agreement is for a season-long loan. Crucially, Benfica would also receive an option to buy the Manchester City player.

There are still details to sort out before everything can be signed. However, those involved reportedly believe the negotiations are now in their final stages.

That is quite a turnaround. Not long ago, River Plate were trying to take Echeverri back to Argentina. Bahia then appeared among the interested clubs, offering City another possible route within the City Football Group.

Maresca seemingly put an end to all of that after taking a look at the youngster during pre-season. But now City have apparently decided another year elsewhere makes more sense.

This loan could be different

Echeverri badly needs the next move to work. His previous two loans provided moments rather than any real momentum.

Bayer Leverkusen gave him very little football. Girona offered considerably more, but he still only started five of his 17 matches and finished with one goal and one assist. There was enough to show why City bought him, not enough consistency.

Benfica would give him another chance to fix that, and potentially at a club well used to developing young South American talent.

The purchase option also makes this situation different. City previously appeared determined to keep Echeverri’s development under their control, even blocking his return to River earlier this year.

An agreement which allows Benfica to eventually buy him would at least leave another door open. Of course, an option is just that. For the immediate future, their priority seems to hand him his minutes.

Betis and Sheffield United were possibilities only hours ago. Benfica have now jumped ahead of both and appear very close to getting him.

After months of uncertainty over where Echeverri fits into City’s plans, his next stop may finally be taking shape.

The post Manchester City player set for deadline exit appeared first on Sport Witness.

That’s according to Sky Deutschland, who cover the details of Manchester City’s deal with the German club.

No role at Manchester City

The Premier League side signed the 20-year-old from Real Valladolid in January 2025 and immediately sent him on loan to RC Lens.

Last season, Pep Guardiola left him out of his core plans, resulting in another loan move to OGC Nice.

Last month, Sport Witness covered a report from France explaining Stade Brestois’ desire to sign the centre-back. The Ligue 1 side were waiting for Enzo Maresca to make the final decision on his future.

Maresca has decided Juma Bah won’t have an immediate role in his plans. Therefore, the English club are allowing him to go out on loan again, this time to Germany.

Medical and official announcement pending 

Sky Deutschland reports the Citizens have reached a verbal agreement with FC Augsburg for the defender’s loan transfer. The latter are paying €100k as a loan fee.

The two clubs will decide today whether to include a purchase option as part of the deal. Should they go ahead with it, the fee also has to be determined.

This shouldn’t have an impact on the Sierra Leone international’s chances of completing a move to the Bundesliga side.

That’s because Juma Bah already arrived in Germany on Sunday and was in the stands at the WWK Arena to watch Augsburg’s 3-0 win over Schalke.

Augsburg have his medical scheduled on Monday, and he will sign the loan contract after clearing these tests. These two are now pending for the Bundesliga side to formalise this operation.

He hasn’t made an appearance for Manchester City yet. Last season, Bah played 3,130 minutes from 41 matches for Nice. He will expect a similar role at his new club.

Juma Bah steht nach Sky Sport Infos kurz vor einem Wechsel zum FC Augsburg. Eine mündliche Einigung mit Manchester City ist erzielt, nur letzte Details sind noch zu klären.

Medical & Unterschrift sind für den heutigen Montag geplant. Zudem klärt sich heute, ob es eine… pic.twitter.com/IixxAMzvl8

— Sky Sport (@SkySportDE) August 31, 2026

The post Manchester City reach agreement for late exit – Player travels for medical appeared first on Sport Witness.

Manchester City have secured Allan Elias from Palmeiras, and supporters can be forgiven for knowing considerably less about him than some of Brazil’s other recent exports.

The 22-year-old didn’t arrive with anything like the hype surrounding Endrick or Estêvão. In fact, his route into the Palmeiras first team was almost the opposite.

Allan had to work his way through every stage of the academy. There was even talk of sending him out on loan before his senior breakthrough.

A little over a year later, Manchester City have committed €37.5m (£32.4m) plus €2.5m (£2.2m) in easily achievable bonuses to sign him.

So, what exactly are City getting?

From overlooked youngster to key Palmeiras player

Allan started playing futsal in Santa Catarina state at seven and joined Figueirense at 14. Palmeiras spotted him at a tournament in Minas Gerais state and bought him in February 2019.

His progress wasn’t spectacularly quick from there. Of course Palmeiras have become used to teenagers jumping straight from their academy into major European transfers. But Allan was different.

He wore the number ten for their U20s in 2024, scoring 17 goals and adding four assists. Even then, a loan was considered.

At the start of 2025, Allan wasn’t among the academy players initially expected to join Abel Ferreira’s senior squad. His performances shortly changed that.

Abel had watched him closely and eventually decided he wanted Allan around the first team.

“I thought he was skinny and slight, but he isn’t. He’s very well built,” the manager said early in 2025.

Abel also highlighted something which would become increasingly important. “He can play as a number eight, attacking midfielder or winger.”

From being an extra addition to the senior group, Allan eventually became difficult to leave out.

Two nights when everything clicked

If Manchester City supporters want examples to understand why Allan’s reputation took off, their 4-0 win over LDU in 2025 is a good place to start. He was a Brighton target back then.

Palmeiras needed a huge comeback in their Libertadores semi-final. Allan started after nine consecutive appearances from the bench and produced arguably his defining performance for the club.

He registered an assist and later ran through the LDU defence with a brilliant individual move. That ended with Allan winning the penalty converted by Raphael Veiga.

Palmeiras completed their comeback and reached the final. Abel was delighted.

“He has incredible ability to unbalance opponents and incredible verticality,” he said afterwards.

There was another big night in 2026, this time at the Maracanã. Palmeiras arrived to face Flamengo under pressure after three consecutive league draws and a Libertadores defeat.

They were also facing a side they hadn’t beaten at the Maracanã for almost 11 years. Allan helped change that.

Allan set up Flaco López for the opener and then scored the second himself. His goal was a slightly unusual one – he finished with his shoulder after continuing his run into the box.

Palmeiras eventually won 3-0 and moved seven points clear of Flamengo at the top of the table. It was another example of Allan producing when the occasion was big.

By that stage, Allan had gone beyond being an exciting option from the bench. He was a regular, and his role continued changing.

So where does Allan actually play?

Calling Allan Elias a right winger is probably the easiest answer. But it isn’t really the complete one.

He can receive wide, attack his full-back and carry the ball at speed. His close control also allows him to beat opponents in tighter areas.

The acceleration immediately stands out. Allan wants to go forward when he receives possession. He can carry the ball through transitions and is comfortable attacking defenders one against one.

There’s end product too. He leaves Palmeiras with nine goals and 12 assists from 96 senior appearances.

Yet what really attracted praise from Abel was everything happening around those attacking qualities. During 2026, Palmeiras used Allan as a right wing-back in a three-centre-back system.

That demanded a lot physically. He had to attack the entire flank, recover defensively, press opponents and repeatedly make the same runs throughout matches.

As we covered earlier, Abel believes that’s what separates him from most Brazilian wide players.

“These teams want a player like Allan because he does what 90% of the wingers here can’t do, which is attack and defend along the entire flank.”

The Palmeiras manager has also used him at right-back. Allan can operate outside a back three and move inside to combine with teammates. And earlier in his development, Abel even saw him as capable of playing in central midfield.

Fair to say Manchester City will have plenty to work with.

More than a dribbler

There’s a temptation with young Brazilian attackers to focus almost entirely on tricks, dribbles and highlights. Allan is very technical and can certainly provides those.

His speed and directness can make him great fun to watch when he gets space. His ability to beat a defender can change a game very quickly. He’s an excellent 1v1 player and has an outrageous phisicality to support his runs.

But his work without the ball became just as important at Palmeiras. He presses, tracks runners and gets back into defensive positions. He also has the engine to repeat those actions. That versatility helped Abel change his own system.

Allan could provide width when Palmeiras had possession and effectively become part of the defensive structure when they lost it. It explains why Abel wasn’t particularly happy about losing him.

He had previously joked that Palmeiras didn’t need to sell any more players. Once City’s interest became serious, the manager made his valuation very clear.

“If they want this type of player, they’ll have to pay €100m (£86.5m),” he said.

City haven’t gone anywhere near that figure, of course. They have still made Allan one of Palmeiras’ latest major academy sales.

A very different rise

The speed of Allan’s development is perhaps best illustrated by what Palmeiras did with his economic rights.

Before the 2025 Club World Cup, they owned 70%. They paid Figueirense around €267k (£231k) for another 20%, effectively valuing the player’s total rights at around €1.33m (£1.15m).

Globo Esporte calculates his subsequent sale represents a 2,900% increase in valuation. That didn’t come after years as Brazil’s next superstar. It happened because Allan kept earning a bigger role.

He went from a player Palmeiras might loan out to someone Abel built part of his system around. Now Manchester City have the next part of the job.

They are getting a quick, direct and technically gifted player who loves taking defenders on. They’re also getting someone who has already learned to do plenty of the less glamorous work.

The post Who exactly is Allan Elias? The versatile Brazilian Manchester City have signed for €40m appeared first on Sport Witness.

City are looking for an attacking midfielder if Jack Grealish were to leave. The latter returned to the Etihad after a season on loan at Everton.

On Friday, the UK press reported Manchester City’s interest in Ndiaye and the possibility of Grealish moving to Everton.

Manchester City interest backed up

Foot Mercato now backs up the Citizens’ interest in the 26-year-old and covers the latest.

Earlier in the window, various sources reported of Al-Hilal’s interest in the Everton player.

On July 30th, Iliman Ndiaye’s father Mouhamadou Abdoulaye Ndiaye assured he won’t leave the Merseyside club, or at least English football.

“Many people called me to tell me that Iliman was going to leave. But rest assured, he’s not going anywhere,” he said.

Everton star opens door for Manchester City

The Senegal international is ready to move to Enzo Maresca’s side.

Iliman Ndiaye ‘wants to join Manchester City’. In fact, he made the Premier League giants his priority if he were to leave Everton before the window closes.

Negotiations between the Premier League duo are ‘progressing positively’, meaning David Moyes’ side are open to letting the 26-year-old leave.

He has a contract until 2029, and Transfermarkt value him at €55m. There’s no mention of the Toffees’ price or the fee the Etihad club are willing to pay.

Manchester City have already spent big on signing Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi and are keen on signing Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández.

Along with the Argentina international, Ndiaye can be another big signing for the Citizens in the next few days.

The Senegalese joined Everton in 2024, and last season, he managed six goals and three assists from 34 matches.

Key transfer points 

• UK press reported Citizens’ interest in Toffees star 
• Grealish, who was on loan at Everton, has uncertain future at Etihad 
• Senegalese attacker wants to join Enzo Maresca’s side
• Manchester City advancing negotiations with Everton 

The post New target ‘wants to join’ Manchester City – Maresca’s side advancing negotiations appeared first on Sport Witness.