Manchester City want to sell ‘Rising Star’ to Borussia Dortmund

Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund are in talks with Manchester City for right-back Yan Couto. Couto is yet to play a game for Manchester City, having been on loan at sister club Girona for the past two seasons.

Dortmund Interest in Yan Couto, Brazil International

Dortmund ‘Negotiating the price’ for Yan Couto

According to Fabrizio Romano, Dortmund have “made contact” with representatives of Premier League champions Manchester City to discuss terms for Couto’s signing. Romano says Dortmund are unwilling to pay his £40m release clause, hoping to negotiate the price further. They hope to spend around £20m.

Read more: Manchester City could sell the starting trio in a massive summer ‘Shake-Up’

The ‘rising star’ is yet to play a game for Manchester City despite being called up to Brazil’s Copa America squad. Instead, he has spent the last two seasons on loan at Girona, a La Liga club that is owned by the City ownership group. Couto played 34 La Liga games last season, scoring just once but providing eight assists, helping Blanquivermells qualify for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

Major release at Etihad

Despite winning the Premier League for a record fourth successive season, there have been many key City players who have been linked with a move this season. Besides Couto, a notable example is goalkeeper Ederson, who is linked to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad. Pep Guardiola’s side have already rejected a £25million bid from Al Nassr at the start of this transfer window.

Read more: Manchester City are keeping tabs on the Bundesliga goalkeeper amid exit talks with Ederson

Moreover, the club’s vice-captain Kevin De Bruyne is also linked with a move, also to Al-Ittihad. De Bruyne played every minute for Belgium at the Euros, where they were knocked out by France in the last 16 after a disappointing group stage. He has been with City since 2015, playing 382 games and scoring 102 goals. The Belgian star has a year left on his contract and looks set to move to Saudi Arabia after a nine-year spell in England.