French news outlet L’Équipe have reported Manchester City are on the trail on Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi, and have contacted the player’s agent, Mino Raiola about a possible deal for the central midfielder, which would probably happen in the summer, when the 26-year-old’s contract in Paris expires. There have been several top clubs linked with a move for Matuidi, with many fans shocked that he is yet to sign a new deal at the Parc de Princes.
The Blues have been fairly quiet in the January transfer window so far, with Manuel Pellegrini seemingly happy with his costless-scoring squad, who recently netted their 100th of the season in all competitions. Of course there have been links with players – most notably Lionel Messi – but there is no real transfer activity of yet. Many City fans have felt some improvement is needed, mostly in defence, but are still relatively content with their squad.
However, Matuidi could prove to be their first major signing ahead of next season. With Gareth Barry expected to leave with the expiration of his City contract, and Jack Rodwell yet to really recover from a setback of injuries in his first 18 months in Manchester, The Citizens could need a new central midfielder, especially with Fernandinho and Yaya Touré playing as much as they do.
In contrast to these reports however, PSG’s president, Nasser Al Khelaifi, has insisted the Frenchman has already agreed a new contract with Les Parisiens, and has said he will sign the new deal as soon as he is able to. Currently Matudi isn’t able to re-sign because of a court dispute between current agent Raiola and his previous one Jean-Pierre Bernes. Until that deal is officially signed, it is very much up in the air regarding Matuidi’s future.
The midfielder has spent the entirety of his career plying his trade in his native country so far. He started off with Troyes, in 2004. Over three years with the club, Matuidi played 67 times in the league, and scored 4 goals in the process. In 2007, the Toulouse-born player moved to Saint-Étienne in Ligue 1. He managed to appear 132 times for his new club, scoring 3 goals as he played in a defensive role. He was also made captain for a time, by Alain Perrin. However, the player departed for Paris in 2011, and has been there ever since. He has played 88 league games in that time, and scored 8 goals. He has never been a big scorer throughout his career, but makes up for it with very good passing and tackling.
Matuidi has also played for the French national team at three levels. He started with the under-19 side in 2006, playing 9 times before becoming ineligible in 2007. He also started playing for the under-21 side in 2006, and by his departure from in in 2009, he had played 25 times for the most senior youth set-up. He made his debut for the full French team in 2010, and hasn’t looked back since, making 19 appearances since Laurent Blanc brought him through. However, he is yet to score at any level.
What the French player could bring to Manchester City’s side is simple – he would sit back and play defensively, much like Fernandinho has done since signing from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer, and allow his central midfield partner to bomb forward, a role which Yaya Touré has been allowed to play in more consistently this season. With Touré reaching the final few years of his career, it is time to start thinking about a replacement for the former Barcelona midfielder, and Matuidi could perfectly fit the bill. It might also mean we see Fernandinho take up the attacking role.
There is still a fair way to go before this deal could be completed, if there is indeed any truth in it. There is the afore-mentioned court battle between agents, as well as the financial incentive that Paris Saint-Germain can offer. Both PSG and Manchester City do indeed have huge amounts of money, but whether one will be willing to pay the midfielder a huge amount more than the other remains to be seen. There is also the other interested teams in Matuidi’s signature to consider, but with City and Mino Raiola having had a good relationship in the past, they could be considered favourites by some.
