Agent reveals Manchester City defeated Inter in race to sign highly-rated centre-back | OneFootball

Manchester City secured the services of Vitor Reis from Palmeiras ahead of some of Europe’s very best clubs, with a new competitor for the signature revealed by his agent.

The Brazilian youth international became the club’s second arrival of the January transfer window, following fellow defensive talent Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens through the doors at the Etihad Stadium.

While his former club Palmeiras had originally stood firm on a stance that they wanted to retain Reis until after the summer’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, the financial benefits of a sale in January became too good to turn down.

Manchester City would ultimately get their wish in bringing the teenager into their first-team squad during the winter market, with a transfer fee just shy of £30 million being sanctioned by Txiki Begiristain and his colleagues.

In the process, Etihad Stadium bosses would also fend off competition from other top sides in European competition, with a previous reports insisting that Arsenal were viewed as frontrunners for the player at the end of 2024.

Now, speaking during a new interview with RadioSportiva, Vitor Reis’ representative Federico Pastorello has revealed that Manchester City had defeated competition from Inter Milan en route to signing the teenage centre-back last month.

“I have to be honest, Inter tried,” Pastorello revealed, as translated and relayed by SempreInter. “They rated him highly and considered him a player worth going after.”

The agent continued, “But once the Premier League giants got involved, the numbers skyrocketed.

“And in Italy, we don’t spend that kind of money on a 2006-born player, even if in three years he will be worth three times as much.”

Reis is yet to make his Manchester City debut since arriving at the club in mid-January, but that first opportunity to star in the sky blue jersey of the club could come as soon as this weekend.

The centre-back was ineligible alongside his other new signings at Manchester City for the UEFA Champions League meetings against Paris Saint-Germain and Club Brugge, and did not see on-field action in the 3-1 win over Chelsea in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola and his players resume their FA Cup campaign on Saturday lunchtime, with their reward for an 8-0 home win over Salford City in round three being a trip to League One side Leyton Orient at the Gaughan Group Stadium.