Manchester City willing to splash £70m for England international — and more

Man City Target Tino Livramento in Record Breaking Full Back Pursuit

Manchester City are preparing for a defining summer move, with TeamTalk reporting that the club are ready to shatter the world record fee for a full-back in pursuit of Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento. It is a statement of intent that speaks to both necessity and ambition at the Etihad Stadium.

Photo IMAGO

City have tracked Livramento since last summer, while Newcastle have been attempting to tie the former Chelsea defender to a new contract. His current deal runs until 2028, yet progress on an extension has stalled. Crucially, it is understood that Livramento has not asked to leave Newcastle, but City are confident he would welcome the opportunity to move.

Right Back Evolution After Kyle Walker

The right-back position has demanded attention since City moved on from Kyle Walker. This season, Matheus Nunes has filled the role despite arriving from Wolves as a midfielder. Rico Lewis offers another technically gifted solution, although he too drifts naturally into central areas.

Photo: IMAGO

Livramento represents something different, an orthodox yet modern full-back with recovery pace, positional intelligence and the capacity to stretch play. TeamTalk report that Newcastle would hold out for £70 million should he depart. That would eclipse the current world record for a full-back, the £60 million paid by Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Milan for Achraf Hakimi in 2021. It would also surpass the £57 million City paid Juventus for Joao Cancelo in 2019, a British record at the time.

City already hold the world record for a centre-back through the signing of Josko Gvardiol. Breaking another defensive benchmark would underline how highly they rate Livramento as a long-term solution.

Financial Muscle Meets Tactical Need

This is not extravagance for its own sake. City’s structure relies on control from wide areas, whether through inverted full-backs or overlapping runners. Livramento’s athletic profile and Premier League experience align neatly with that blueprint.

Photo: IMAGO

Newcastle’s negotiating stance will be firm, yet if City decide this is the answer to a persistent tactical question, precedent suggests they will act decisively.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

Manchester City’s right-back position has lacked clarity since Walker’s departure, and while Nunes has applied himself admirably, it has always looked like a temporary adjustment.

Livramento would bring defensive assurance first and foremost. City fans understand that titles are often secured by margins, by the ability to defend transitions late in tight games, whether it is a 1-0 grind or a nervy 2-1 at a rival ground. An elite full-back who can recover, defend one v one and still contribute in possession fits the modern demands of Pep Guardiola’s system.

The potential £70 million outlay will raise eyebrows, yet supporters have seen how targeted investment in key roles pays off. If the recruitment team believe Livramento can anchor that flank for the next five to seven years, then the fee becomes secondary. Stability at right-back could be the final piece in maintaining domestic dominance and restoring European authority.

Following recent Middle East conflicts that have raised safety concerns, Wiegman stated that England are in close contact with authorities and have received reassurances about their security. The match is being held in Turkey because Ukraine are unable to play in their home country due to the war with Russia.

While the team is monitoring the situation closely, Wiegman emphasized that they currently have no signals of danger. Some fans and media outlets have already chosen to withdraw from traveling to Turkey following the weekend's developments. The Lionesses traveled to Turkey last Wednesday for a training camp and will play the qualifier at 17:00 GMT on Tuesday.

Portuguese manager José Mourinho has issued a strong statement regarding racism allegations against a Benfica player. 'If my player did not respect these principles, which are mine and Benfica's as well, then that player's career with me and Benfica will come to an end,' the manager asserted.

The statement comes amid ongoing investigations into alleged racist behavior by one of the club's players. Mourinho's firm stance aligns with both his personal values and what he claims are Benfica's institutional principles against discrimination.

Colorado Buffaloes (16-13, 6-10 Big 12) at Utah Utes (10-19, 2-14 Big 12)

Salt Lake City; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Utah takes on Colorado looking to end its five-game home losing streak.

The Utes have gone 8-8 in home games. Utah has a 2-10 record in games decided by 10 points or more.

The Buffaloes have gone 6-10 against Big 12 opponents. Colorado has a 0-1 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

Utah averages 74.5 points per game, 4.2 fewer points than the 78.7 Colorado gives up. Colorado has shot at a 46.8% clip from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points fewer than the 47.3% shooting opponents of Utah have averaged.

The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. Colorado won the last matchup 85-73 on Jan. 8. Sebastian Rancik scored 19 points to help lead the Buffaloes to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Don McHenry averages 2.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Utes, scoring 17.1 points while shooting 39.9% from beyond the arc. Terrence Brown is shooting 40.1% and averaging 15.0 points over the past 10 games.

Bangot Dak is averaging 10.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Buffaloes. Isaiah Johnson is averaging 17.2 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Utes: 1-9, averaging 63.7 points, 29.7 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 4.8 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 41.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.6 points per game.

Buffaloes: 4-6, averaging 73.9 points, 28.7 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 81.8 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.