Manchester City set to enter race to sign right-back who has Barcelona and Real Madrid chasing him: Reports
Barcelona and Real Madrid will face strong competition from Manchester City for Girona's highly-rated fullback Arnau Martinez.
This is as per 90min, who have reported that Martinez has been on City boss Pep Guardiola's radar for a while and they could be gearing up to make an official bid.
Arnau Martinez has been one of the key players for Girona since their return to La Liga last season and has made a good start to the current campaign as well. His performances last season caught the attention of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but the Catalans could have the upper hand in a possible head-to-head for his signature.
Martinez spent six years at Barcelona's La Masia academy during his younger days but did not make the cut. However, a return could be on the cards.
The 20-year-old also has a connection to Manchester City, but via his club. Girona come under the larger umbrella ownership of City Football Group, with players moving frequently between the two clubs on loan deals. This could be one of the first permanent transfers and could be a coup for the Cityzens.
Arnau Martinez is also being tracked by several other clubs including Arsenal, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
Despite being young, he has already racked up an impressive 102 appearances for Girona across competitions and is their youngest-ever goalscorer. Martinez is also a finalist for the 2023 Golden Boy award.
It remains to be seen whether Manchester City can steal a march on their rivals to sign the defender.
Barcelona targeting Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez
Manchester City secured one of the signings of the season last term as they acquired Julian Alvarez from Argentinian side River Plate for just £14.1 millon.
While the fee seemed a bit far-fetched for an unproven talent, the Argentine has since made it look like an absolute bargain with his performances on the pitch.
However, as per Spanish outlet Sport, it seems that Barcelona have set their sights on bringing Alvarez to the Camp Nou following two years at City.
Xavi Hernandez's side have had injury concerns this year in addition to Robert Lewandowski quickly entering the twilight of his career. They are in search of a young forward who can lead the line for the foreseeable future, with Brazilian youngster Vitor Roque also on their radar.
Julian Alvarez has made 62 appearances for Manchester City across competitions, scoring 23 goals and providing 10 assists.
Whether or not he is willing to leave such an enticing team for Barcelona in their current state still remains to be seen.