Man City battle over ‘staggering’ £78m transfer as Kalvin Phillips in demand

Manchester City are claimed to be part of a growing transfer battle for Lille defender Leny Yoro.

The 18-year-old centre-back is enjoying a breakthrough campaign and has been a mainstay of Paulo Fonseca’s team this term. The teenager has been thoroughly impressive in Ligue 1, leading to speculation that Yoro could soon be part of a high-profile transfer, either during this month or the upcoming summer window.

City are said to be one of several teams that have ‘courted’ the teenager about a possible move away from Lille. In terms of the French club, Le 10 Sport reports that Lille have no intention of selling the defender and are ‘demanding a staggering sum’ when asked about his availability.

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It is claimed by Le 10 Sport that City have already begun ‘discussions’ with Yoro over signing for Pep Guardiola’s side, while facing competition from their local rivals Manchester United. However, the report states that Lille have been quoting a price of €90m (£78m) in an attempt to stave off interest in the France U21, despite his contract only running until 2025. Liverpool and PSG are also said to be monitoring Yoro as he continues to shine for Lille.

While there would be understandable doubts over paying such a high price for a player who has played a total of 37 senior games, Spanish outlet AS has touted City with a move for a much more experienced operator.

Joshua Kimmich’s future with Bayern Munich continues to be a ‘hot topic’ as Thomas Tuchel is touted with reshaping his squad. A player well-known to Guardiola from his time