Matheus Nunes throws hat into ring for permanent role in Pep Guardiola's Manchester City defence

Yahoo

4 hours ago

Pep Guardiola has received the green light from Matheus Nunes to be deployed in any position required, amid talk of him becoming Manchester City's mainstay right-back.
The Portugal international has been one of the key standout performers at the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup for Manchester City, stepping into the mainstay right-back role after Rico Lewis' red card on matchday one.
Advertisement
Nunes operation in the position is nothing new however, building upon a run in the team on the right of a back-four across the course of the second-half of last season, and will be hopeful of retaining the slot heading towards the 2025/26 campaign.
In the background, there is believed to be a keen interest from club officials to recruit a new right-back via the transfer market, and Newcastle United's Tino Livramento is believed to be the primary target of sporting director, Hugo Viana.
However, in the meantime, with FIFA having issued Rico Lewis with a three-match ban at the Club World Cup, Nunes certainly has a job to do and a clear opportunity to impress Guardiola and club officials over his ability to hold down the right-back position.
Speaking to reporters after Manchester City's 2-5 win over Juventus and his own individually impressive performance in Orlando, Matheus Nunes was keen to insist upon his willingness to work under Guardiola to the best of his abilities no matter what the positional plan.
Advertisement
'I mean wherever the manager puts me I'm always going to try and do my best,' Nunes insisted. 'You also have other players that have done different positions as well and done well in all of them,' he added.
'So, I mean it doesn't matter where he puts me on, I'm always going to try to do my best. That's what I did on Thursday and happily [I think] I did good.'
Despite the changes made to Pep Guardiola's squad during the ongoing summer transfer window, Matheus Nunes believes there is stability within the camp with long-standing members maintaining the fundamentals of the footballing philosophy within the club.
'I think the base [of the squad] is quite the same. I mean, they've been here for 10 years already. Everyone knows, like everything,' Matheus Nunes explained.
Advertisement
'The training, the way the manager wants us to press; the way he wants us to attack. Of course, in different games you have different ways of doing it. But I mean now we are just used to everything because, I mean, we've been together for so long.'
Next up for Matheus Nunes and his Manchester City teammates is a clash against Al Ain in the last-16 stage of the FIFA Club World Cup, having secured top spot in Group G to position themselves on the left side of the bracket.
A quarter-final could then await against the winner of Inter against Fluminense, while a potential final would involve Pep Guardiola's side against one of Palmeiras, Botafogo, Benfica, and Chelsea.