City are not prepared to meet Chelsea’s £75m valuation of Malo Gusto, though further talks between the two clubs are expected once the World Cup concludes, according to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke.
City remain keen on the France international as Enzo Maresca’s preferred option to fill the club’s long-standing gap at right-back, a position Matheus Nunes was asked to cover for much of last season after being deployed there from central midfield. Rico Lewis, the alternative option, has struggled for consistent minutes and has since been linked with a move away from the Etihad.
Gusto’s familiarity with Maresca from their time together at Chelsea has given the pursuit a personal dimension. The pair worked together across 72 appearances, with the 23-year-old contributing two goals and six assists during that spell.
Chelsea’s reluctance to sell below £75m has been the central sticking point in a negotiation that has run for several weeks, but O’Rourke’s report suggests it is one that continues to move rather than stall. City are said to be confident further talks can close the gap, while sources have told Football Insider that Chelsea are open to letting Gusto leave for the right price.
The timing complicates matters slightly. Gusto is currently on World Cup duty with France, who face Spain in Tuesday’s semi-final in Dallas, meaning any substantive conversation between the clubs is unlikely to progress meaningfully until after the tournament concludes.
Chelsea’s move to sign Atalanta’s Marco Palestra as competition at right-back has added a further layer of pressure on Gusto to resolve his future once his international commitments are done.
For now, City’s position is clear enough: interested, willing to negotiate, but not willing to be the party that blinks first on Chelsea’s asking price.
