MCFC have lost Riyad Mahrez to the Saudi Pro League and according to a report in The Sun, Pep Guardiola wants Kaoru Mitoma as the winger’s replacement.
Mitoma joined Brighton and Hove Albion in 2021 and last season, the winger saw a meteoric rise for the Seagulls. He started 24 Premier League games last season where he scored seven and assisted five goals.
Manchester City have sold Mahrez to Al-Ahli and there are rumours that Bernardo Silva is also interested to join Barcelona. The MCFC boss is desperately trying to hold onto the Portugal international but if Silva does leave then Pep Guardiola won’t be left with any right-wingers in the squad.
Kaoru Mitoma is a natural left winger and throughout his career, he’s played only half a dozen games on the right-hand side of attack. It’s a bit surprising that MCFC want to sign a left-winger to replace a right-winger but maybe Pep Guardiola feels the Japan international can play equally well on the right as well.
Will MCFC be able to land Kaoru Mitoma in time?
Mitoma is currently valued at €32 million but his contract with Brighton expires in 2025 and as per reports, the Seagulls have valued him at around €58 million.
Brighton finished sixth on the Premier League table last season so they will be playing in the Europa League this campaign. They currently have just two left wingers in their squad and Mitoma’s backup is 21-year-old Simon Adingra who’s yet to feature in the Premier League.
The Seagulls know very well that Manchester City won’t mind spending €60-65 million on a talent like Kaoru Mitoma but they won’t have enough time to bring in a proper replacement which is probably why they will refuse to sell the Japanese international this summer.
The club have brought in a fair amount of transfer money by selling big players like Sanchez and Alexis Mac Allister so they are not in urgent need of funds.
If MCFC put in a formal offer, the winger will definitely look to make the jump but Brighton will try all they can to avoid losing one of their star players so late on in the transfer window.
Do Manchester City need the 26-year-old?
Bernardo Silva is a natural midfielder but last season, he played most of his matches on the right wing so if he leaves then it will be a big headache for Guardiola.
The MCFC manager has players like Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez who can play on the right but maybe Guardiola wants a natural winger which is why he is looking to bring in Mitoma. Guardiola prefers to use Foden in a more central role while Alvarez is the backup to Erling Haaland.
Mitoma is blessed with speed and is a top-class dribbler and under the right guidance, the 26-year-old can very easily shift sides and adapt. Crossing tough is the winger’s biggest weakness and this will be something that will be a slight issue because now with Haaland in the side, MCFC have become a much more direct side. Previously, they would always focus on the perfect buildup but ever since Haaland’s arrival, the playmakers can afford to play direct long balls hoping that the Norwegian will be able to put it into the back of the net.
Coming to Kaoru Mitoma, the winger was phenomenal for Brighton in the 2022/23 season but he’s only played on the left-hand side(as a winger and also a attacking midfielder) so it will definitely be a gamble to look at him as the long-term replacement for Riyad Mahrez but not too many quality right-wingers are currently available in the market so betting on Mitoma makes sense at the moment.
