Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is ready to loan some of his club’s top young players to new Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claim the Spaniard is a huge admirer of Bielsa and will allow rising stars at the Premier League giants to head out to Elland Road for senior playing experience next season.
The Sun report Leeds are “desperate” to sign England Under-21 goalkeeper Angus Gunn on a season-long loan deal and are also targeting Tosin Adarabioyo , Brahim Diaz and Lukas Nmecha from the City youth ranks.
Good move for Leeds?
It would count as a huge coup for Leeds if they are successful in taking one, never mind four, City youngsters on loan for the 2018-19 campaign. The failed Cameron Borthwick-Jackson experiment shows that the arrival of a rising star from an elite Premier League squad does not always amount to success, but City have the strongest playing squad in the country and a youth set-up that has benefitted from vast investment during the Abu Dhabi era. You only have to look at the success of Patrick Roberts on loan at Celtic over the last 18 months to see the calibre of those waiting in the wings and graduating from the ranks. Of the four named, all are eyecatching talents, although there is the sense that keeper Gunn and centre-back Adarabioyo could make particularly big contributions.
This Is Futbol rating 9/10
Likely to happen?
Given Guardiola’s oft-stated respect and admiration of Bielsa, and the geographical proximity between the two clubs, there certainly seems something in this report. It would count as a major shock if four City youngsters joined Leeds on loan, but don’t rule out at least one making the journey from Greater Manchester to west Yorkshire.
This Is Futbol rating 6/10