Sam Lee reveals whether Manchester City want to sign Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze

Manchester City have been continuously linked with a supposed interest in Crystal Palace and England playmaker Eberechi Eze in recent weeks.

The Premier League champions were first linked with an interest in the player last summer, as the club looked to come to terms with an extended period of time without midfield mainstay Kevin De Bruyne due to injury.

The Belgian’s second hamstring problem in a matter of weeks during the opening Premier League game of last season sparked Manchester City into late market action, eyeing a number of candidates within the top-flight to ease the stress on existing first-team options.

Ultimately however it was the profile of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Nunes that proved to be the go-to option for the Premier League champions, who finalised a big-money move for the Portugal international on deadline day.

But as a new summer market comes around and Manchester City bring about new interest in recruiting in the centre of the park, some have speculated whether Eberechi Eze could be a player that the club could explore once again.

According to the information of The Athletic’s Sam Lee, while Manchester City ‘strongly considered’ signing Eberechi Eze last summer, the Premier League champions are ‘not currently planning a move’ ahead of the new season.

That clarification of the situation comes after reports in some quarters claimed that Etihad Stadium bosses were willing to sanction a £60 million move for the England international, which would trigger a release clause in his Crystal Palace contract.

Instead, Manchester City are likely to explore other options in the same position, with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes remaining a primary candidate alongside the likes of Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich.

City may also be called into action depending on the futures of other first-team stars, with Ederson’s decision on a new challenge yet to be concluded amid ongoing interest from the Saudi Pro League this summer.