Manchester City are reportedly set to rival Manchester United and Chelsea for the signing of English full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the summer.
As per a report from The Sun, Premier League title holders Manchester City are poised to enter the chase for Crystal Palace starlet Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The 21-year-old is also on the radars of City’s rivals Manchester United and Chelsea.
Wan-Bissaka is an exponent of the Crystal Palace youth academy. Having risen rapidly through the ranks the youngster got his big break with the senior team in February last year against Tottenham Hotspur. He went on to make six more appearances in the Premier League before the end of the 2017-18 season for Roy Hodgson’s side.
The 2018-19 campaign has seen Wan-Bissaka establish himself as the undisputed first-choice at right-back ahead of Joel Ward. So far this term, the 21-year-old has turned out on 27 occasions across all competitions for the Eagles, missing just a single Premier League match. He has managed returns of two assists till date.
Wan-Bissaka’s performances for Palace have not gone unnoticed with a number of top clubs casting admiring glances towards the England Under 21 international. Manchester United are understood to have looked at the youngster as they look to bolster their defence ahead of next season.
Antonio Valencia is widely expected to leave the club when his contract runs out at the end of the season. Ashley Young is also likely to see his role in the first-team reduce, despite the likelihood of him signing a new contract and United see Wan-Bissaka as an ideal candidate to compete with Diogo Dalot for the right-back slot for years to come.
Chelsea are also believed to have taken a liking to the Crystal Palace academy product, as they look to bring in a new right-sided full-back next season. The Blues loaned out Victor Moses to Fenerbahce in January and are believed to be open to offloading Davide Zappacosta in the summer, which would leave Cesar Azpilicueta as the only right-back in the squad.
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is believed to be keen on reuniting with his former ward Elseid Hysaj, whom he worked with both at Empoli and Napoli. However, should that move fail to materialize, Wan-Bissaka is being viewed as a contingency plan.
Now, Manchester City too have joined the ever-growing list of admirers for the 21-year-old. Manager Pep Guardiola is believed to be unhappy with his options at right-back, despite having shelled over £80 million for the signings of Kyle Walker and Danilo in the summer of 2017.
Neither player has been consistent enough this season, which has left Guardiola seeking replacements in the area. And Wan-Bissaka, with his energetic performances, has emerged as a potential candidate, while his homegrown status adds further appeal to the reigning English champions.
Wan-Bissaka signed a new contract with Palace last year, extending his stay at Selhurst Park till 2022. The Eagles reportedly value their asset in the range of £30 million, a fee that all the aforementioned clubs will be able to meet with ease. It now remains to be seen if the 21-year-old remains a Palace player next season or if either of City, United or Chelsea sign him up in the summer.
