90min

City Football Group to Expand Ownership to 10 Clubs With Deal for Ligue 2 Outfit Nancy Close

By Ross Kennerley

Manchester City club crest
Manchester City club crest / Visionhaus/Getty Images
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City Football Group are expected to expand their group of clubs to ten with the final details being drawn up on a deal for Ligue 2 outfit Nancy.

Chief executive Ferran Soriano and director Txiki Begiristain are part of City Football Group, which already owns nine clubs to date having sealed a deal for Belgian side Lommel SK just last month.

In plans to expand their scouting network and seek out the best talent across Europe this summer, the tenth addition to the group is set to be concluded shortly with the purchase of Nancy, report the Daily Mail.

It's added that another central European side is within their sights, as the group continue to expand on a list that also includes Girona, Melbourne City, New York City, Mumbai, Sichuan Jiuniu, Montevideo City Torque and Yokohama F. Marinos.

The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union will alter the rules for Premier League clubs scouting talent within the EU, with new legislation being implemented next year that will prevent top flight sides from signing players younger than 18. Previously, the age limit was 16.

City have eyes on players across the continent, as they bid to add young prospects to their pool of players classed as 'emerging talent'.

Eric Garcia with City boss Pep Guardiola
Eric Garcia with City boss Pep Guardiola / Michael Regan/Getty Images

While big-money deals are likely to be less forthcoming in the upcoming transfer window as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, City have not altered their approach when it comes to recruiting young players.

The likes of Eric Garcia, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Philippe Sandler are seen as recent successes of this process, the first two finding more frequent first team minutes in the past few seasons.

It is added in the Mail's report that Pep Guardiola was eyeing up to four moves in the summer window, which included 'confidence' in a deal being struck for Barcelona's Nelson Semedo, while 90min also revealed that Ben Chilwell is on their radar and City will rival Chelsea for his signature.

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