Manchester City missed out on signing one of the best young defenders in Europe, according to Diario Sport.
At just 17 years of age, Pau Cubarsi has already made 15 La Liga appearances for Barcelona, starting 14 times and helping the Catalan club achieve six clean sheets during that span.
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez has shown faith in the young player, who recently turned 17, by playing him in crucial games. However, a report from Diario Sport reveals that the former Girona youth product could have signed for Manchester City instead of moving to Barcelona.
Manchester City were supposed to sign Pau Cubarsi from Girona back in 2023
Girona’s sporting director, Quique Carcel, engaged in discussions with Cubarsi’s representatives to negotiate a deal with potential ramifications beyond the Spanish club’s borders. The proposed agreement aimed to connect Cubarsi’s future with that of Manchester City, leveraging Girona’s affiliation with the City Football Group.
However, the move did not come to fruition, and now Cubarsi has become a reliable member of Barcelona’s defense at a young age.
His performances this season have reportedly earned him a call-up to the Spanish national team for the Euro 2024 squad.
Manchester City currently have a wealth of world-class defenders, so it is unlikely that Cubarsi would have had much playing time there. Players like John Stones, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake, and Manuel Akanji are regular features in Manchester City’s plans.
