Report: Chelsea to battle Man City for “fantastic” Spanish player in 2026

Manchester City and Chelsea are keen on acquiring the services of Sporting CP full-back Ivan Fresneda.

The Spanish full-back has only gone from strength to strength since joining the Portuguese club. His impressive rise has put him on the radar of multiple top clubs in England. Fresneda has been labelled as “fantastic”.

According to Dean Jones via TEAMtalk, Manchester City and Chelsea are two of the biggest contenders for his signature. Pep Guardiola’s team are desperately looking for a new right-sided full-back, while the Blues consider him an ideal fit for their project.

Fresneda, who came up the ranks at Real Valladolid, made the switch to Portugal in the summer of 2023. He has gone on to establish himself as one of their mainstays. The 21-year-old’s versatility and consistent performances have resulted in interest from some of the biggest clubs.

While his contract at Sporting runs until the summer of 2028, they might struggle to keep hold of him for long. Guardiola’s team have been keeping tabs on the Spanish youth international for some time now.

While speaking about City’s interest in the youngster, Jones said: “New possibilities are being uncovered as recruitment staff draw up options for the new year, but Fresneda has been of interest for a while and I understand they have continued to keep an eye on him.

“I think getting him in January would be difficult, to be honest, but they see him as a good fit for the squad and have detailed reports drawn up on him ahead of any potential active pursuit in 2026.”

The Manchester-based club are yet to replace Kyle Walker, who left the club in the summer. While Matheus Nunes has made the position his own, City want a natural right-back in their squad, someone who can compete with the Portuguese international.

They consider him a good fit for Guardiola’s system and their project. While signing him in January won’t be easy, they could certainly try their luck. City could face stiff competition from Chelsea, who are also keeping tabs on the 21-year-old.

Enzo Maresca seeks more depth in that position as he looks to use Reece James in a more central role going forward. Fresneda is a perfect fit for their project, which revolves around signing the best young players.

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