Manchester City exploring £45M transfer to reunite Enzo Maresca with Chelsea defender

Hugo Viana and Manchester City are targeting a new right-back this summer

Chelsea‘s Malo Gusto, valued at £45M, has emerged as a leading candidate for the position

Newcastle’s Tino Livramento is also understood to be on City’s shortlist

Hugo Viana and Manchester City could reunite incoming manager Enzo Maresca and one of his key assets from Chelsea this summer, as per a new report.

Manchester City have identified the right-back position as a priority area for recruitment, with Matheus Nunes expected to remain the first-choice option in that position after a stellar 2025-26 campaign – but with director of football Hugo Viana understood to be seeking an upgrade in depth and quality behind him.

The search for a right-back forms just one part of a considerably wider overhaul that is taking shape at the Etihad Stadium ahead ofMaresca’s first season in charge. A club-record pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has dominated the headlines, while winger recruitment is also on the agenda, with Savinho nearing a move to Tottenham.

Manchester City hold Malo Gusto transfer talks with Chelsea after Marco Palestra setback

Manchester City hold Malo Gusto transfer talks with Chelsea after Marco Palestra setback

Maresca, whose arrival from Stamford Bridge is expected to be formally announced imminently, built a strong working relationship with several Chelsea players during his tenure in west London, and City appear willing to draw on that familiarity as they construct the squad around him.

According to The Times, Manchester City are interested in France international Malo Gusto, with Chelsea open to selling the 23-year-old right-back this summer in order to free up funds and squad space ahead of their expected signing of former City target Marco Palestra.

Additional reporting from journalist Ben Jacobs indicates that officials within Stamford Bridge currently value Gusto at north of £45 million – a figure that reflects the young defender’s standing within Chelsea’s hierarchy despite his anticipated departure.

City are, however, understood to be exploring several options in the position rather than committing to any single target at this stage, with Newcastle United’s Valentino Livramento also featuring on the shortlist being evaluated by Viana’s recruitment staff.

Gusto would arrive with the added benefit of familiarity – having worked directly under Maresca at Chelsea – which is understood to be a factor in City’s thinking as they look to minimise the adjustment period for a squad navigating significant transition.

The right-back question has been a subplot to City’s wider defensive overhaul all summer, sitting alongside the ongoing Ruben Dias situation and the need to settle on a long-term partner for Josko Gvardiol at centre-back, with Viana also monitoring Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as a potential John Stones replacement.

Enzo Maresca shortlists £31M Chelsea defender as blockbuster Manchester City signing

Enzo Maresca shortlists £31M Chelsea defender as blockbuster Manchester City signing

Gusto’s profile – athletic, high-energy, comfortable in possession – maps closely onto the kind of dynamic full-back Maresca typically demands in his system, having used the Frenchman extensively at Chelsea in a progressive role that required both defensive solidity and the ability to contribute in advanced areas.

At £45 million, Chelsea’s valuation is not insignificant, particularly against the backdrop of City’s other major financial commitments this summer.

Whether Viana opts to push on with Gusto or pivots to the reportedly cheaper Livramento option will likely depend on how quickly negotiations on the primary targets develop; but the right-back position looks certain to be filled before Maresca’s first pre-season gets underway next month.