Manchester City get go-ahead to sign player who could become league's fastest, following huge U-turn: report

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during a Champions League match in April 2024.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester City may have been boosted in their hopes of signing one of Europe's most in-demand and fastest players after a surprising U-turn from Real Madrid.

City lost out to Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League, despite dominating for much of that tie, but the Sky Blues could take advantage of a change of heart from Los Blancos in the transfer market.

Madrid had been favourites to land Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies ahead of City, long-time admirers of the Canadian international.

Alphonso Davies in action for Bayern Munich against Hoffenheim in May 2024.

Alphonso Davies in action for Bayern Munich against Hoffenheim in May 2024. (Image credit: Getty Images)

But according to COPE, the Spanish champions could be set to cool their interest in Davies this summer.

That is because Los Blancos are understood to be keen on bringing back left-back Miguel Gutierrez from Girona.

Gutierrez joined Girona in the summer of 2022 and has impressed for the Catalan club, but Madrid are now considering a deal to take the defender back to the Bernabeu in time for the 2024/25 season.

Davies recorded the fastest speed of any player in the Champions League last season and is one of the quickest in Bundesliga history.

The Canadian was thought to have agreed a deal with Real Madrid, but this change of plan could see him move to City insead. The 23-year-old, who was born in Ghana, seems unlikely to remain at Bayern.

In FourFourTwo's view, Davies would be a spectacular signing for Manchester City. However, with the player previously said to have favoured a move to Real Madrid, a transfer to the Spanish side still cannot be ruled out this summer.

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Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.