Malo Gusto to Manchester City Is Getting Real. Here’s Why It’s Complicated.

Manchester City has a right-back problem. Not a crisis exactly, but a gap. And they’re looking at Chelsea’s Malo Gusto to fill it.

According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, City is actively shopping for a dedicated right-back after spending most of last season using Matheus Nunes out of position there. Nunes did fine. But fine isn’t what a club with this ambition wants in a specialized role. Sporting director Hugo Viana has been running point on the search all summer.

The Gusto connection is pretty obvious once you look at who’s running the team now. Enzo Maresca. The same Enzo Maresca who coached Gusto at Chelsea. They reportedly had a tight relationship during Maresca’s time at Stamford Bridge, and that familiarity is a big reason City is interested. It’s not the only reason. But it matters.

Here’s where it gets messy though. Chelsea values Gusto at around £45 million. He’s currently at the World Cup with France, so any deal would have to wait until he’s back. Chelsea is open to listening to offers, especially after bringing in Atalanta’s Marco Palestra as a potential replacement. Gusto’s agent has reportedly been talking to multiple clubs about a possible exit. That’s not nothing.

City isn’t the only team in the picture. Inter Milan is also in the mix and described as advanced in their own pursuit. That could turn into a race once Gusto returns from international duty.

City Has Options Beyond Gusto

Jacobs reports that Newcastle’s Tino Livramento is also on City’s shortlist. So is Feyenoord’s Givairo Read. The fact that they’re looking at multiple guys suggests this isn’t just a one-name obsession. They want a body in that spot, and they want the right one.

The broader context here is that Maresca is reshaping a squad built by Pep Guardiola. Bernardo Silva has already left. City is also chasing Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson. It’s a reset, not a tweak.

Whether they land Gusto or someone else, the message is clear. They don’t want to patch the position again next season. They want a real answer.