Inter Milan Are Sniffing Around One Of Manchester City's Top Talents

Inter Milan are showing a strong interest in Manchester City starlet Brahim Diaz.

Along with Stockport-born Phil Foden, also 17, Diaz is seen as one of the top prospects in the City youth ranks.

Having signed from hometown club Malaga for a fee of £200,000 as a 14-year old, he has been on Pep Guardiola's radar for a while now, regularly training with the first-team side.

Image: Manchester City

He would go on to make his City first-team debut in September last year, replacing Kelechi Iheanacho in the 80th minute of an EFL Cup win over Swansea City.

The Spaniard was part of City's pre-season squad for the tour of the United States, scoring twice - including a stunner in the 4-1 drubbing of Real Madrid in Los Angeles.

Image: PA

Like Foden, he has been promoted to the first-team squad and has been on the bench on a number of games. But Diaz has struggled to force his way into the side and has had to make do with his game-time coming in UEFA Youth League and Premier League 2 games.

Real Madrid were linked with taking the Spain youth international back to his homeland in September and now Italian outlet Tuttosport say that Inter are keen.

It's said that the Nerazzurri could make a bid in January and believe the increased likelihood of first-team football at the San Siro could prove tempting.

City lost Jadon Sancho, another one of their highly-rated youngsters, to Borussia Dortmund in the summer, though it was in different circumstances. A contract was on the table for the England Under 17 star but Pep Guardiola revealed the nifty winger had a change of heart and stopped turning up for training.

His preference was said to be a return to London, where he is from, but he ended up moving to Germany, with City receiving £8 million as well as a sell-on clause being inserted in the deal.

When interest from Real Madrid in Diaz was first reported last month, Guardiola said the following in a pre-match press conference:

"We want him but today the market is the market. Maybe we can't control it. We spoke with him many times to stay here.

"City gave him the opportunity at the high level. He is happy here. He has to know that at the top level it's not easy to play."

Topics: Manchester City, Phil Foden, Brahim Diaz, Pep Guardiola, Jadon Sancho, Inter Milan

Josh Lawless

Josh is a writer who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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