Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City in transfer battle for Spartak Moscow forward – City Group well-versed on 22-year-old | OneFootball

Manchester City could face a stern transfer battle for the services of Spartak Moscow forward Manfred Ugalde, with competition from elsewhere in the Premier League.

The list of players being linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is ever-growing across a number of positions, with the central midfield roles expected to be of the highest priority across the next two transfer windows.

Whilst the Premier League champions had been linked with both Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, City themselves have insisted this week that they hold no belief of signing either player next month.

As such, conversations within the media are beginning to centre around other positions that Manchester City may be looking to explore in 2025, with the forward ranks also expected to be analysed following the sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid last summer.

The exit of the Argentine to Spanish football left Manchester City with no natural back-up to Erling Haaland in the lone striker role this season, creating huge demands on the Norwegian to continue playing game after game across competitions.

Now, according to the information of TBR Football’s Graeme Bailey, Spartak Moscow forward Manfred Ugalde is of ‘strong interest’ to a host of top clubs in European football, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

It is claimed that the Costa Rican striker’s potential suitors have also been made aware by the player’s representatives and intermediaries that he is available for just £25 million due to a release clause.

From the side of Manchester City in this particular chase, it is pointed out that the Premier League champions are already well versed on Ugalde, with the City Football Group being those who discovered him in Costa Rica back in 2022, bringing him to Europe to their club Lommel.

The Premier League is a prime hunting ground for the player, with the report also suggesting Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham, Newcastle, Brentford, Brighton and Nottingham Forest are all aware of Ugalde, keeping tabs on his progress, alongside other teams in Europe.

It remains to be seen just how many players in attacking positions are being monitored by Manchester City over a potential future transfer approach, with some reports claiming there could be a watching brief being held upon Liam Delap.

The former City Academy prospect left the club during the last summer transfer window for Ipswich Town and has been impressing a number of clubs with his Premier League performances, and the Etihad club hold a buy-back clause on the young forward.

The obvious factor affecting Manchester City in the chase for any new strikers is whether players would be willing to play predominantly as a back-up option to Erling Haaland for the most part of the season.