Bad news for Lewis: Man City hold concrete interest in £40m "cheat code"

Manchester City are back in action after the international break this weekend as they prepare to travel to Bournemouth in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

This competition is the club’s last realistic chance to win a piece of silverware before the end of the 2025/26 campaign, as they are 22 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League with nine matches left to play.

Their lack of success on the pitch led to a splurge in the January transfer window, as the likes of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, and Abdukodir Khusanov came in to bolster the squad.

Marmoush, who scored a hat-trick against Newcastle United in the Premier League, has been the star of those mid-season additions so far with his quality at the top end of the pitch.

That may not be the end of the club’s spending, though, as the summer transfer window could see more players arrive at The Etihad to bolster Pep Guardiola’s side ahead of next season.

This could mean that players who are currently playing in the first-team at Manchester City may have to look over their shoulders, as they could be replaced this summer, and Rico Lewis may fall into that category.

Why Rico Lewis may not be a regular next season

Long-serving right-back Kyle Walker, who started 30 Premier League games last term, only started nine league matches in the first half of this season before being loaned out to AC Milan in the January transfer window.

The 34-year-old veteran’s decline and eventual exit from The Etihad provided Lewis with a huge opportunity to make that position his own, and to become a regular starter for years to come – as Phil Foden has done as another graduate of the City academy.

Unfortunately, however, the England U21 international’s performances for the Cityzens so far this season have been less-than-impressive in the Premier League, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will reach the level that City need from him at right-back.

One of the issues he has had is that he does not excel in any particular area of the game. Lewis is technically secure and decent on the ball, but does not offer exceptional creativity or a goalscoring threat, and his defensive work is not noteworthy either.

As you can see in the table above, the City academy graduate has rarely provided a threat at the top end of the pitch, whilst he has been average at best in defensive situations – ranking seventh for tackles (1.2) and ninth for interceptions (0.5) per game in the squad.

Manchester City could, now, make a signing that would send Lewis packing, either out of the starting XI or out of the club, as they are eyeing up a deal for a Bundesliga star.

The latest on Man City’s interest in Bundesliga star

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester City are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Dutch right-back Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Cityzens have a ‘concrete’ interest in the Netherlands international, who they sold to Celtic in the summer of 2019 for a reported fee of £350k.

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TEAMtalk adds that City are now ‘plotting’ a move to bring Frimpong back to The Etihad for a second spell at the club, although he did not play a single match for the first-team after coming through the academy set-up before his move to Glasgow.

The outlet also reveals that Manchester United and Liverpool are also keen on the Dutch full-back, which could mean that there will be plenty of competition for his signature this summer.

TEAMtalks report claims that a fee of £40m would be enough to tempt Leverkusen to cash in on the right-footed whiz, and adds that City view him as their long-term replacement for Walker – which does not bode well for Lewis’ future in that position.

Why Manchester City should sign Jeremie Frimpong

Frimpong, who is four years older than Lewis, would come in at the age of 24 with his best years still ahead of him, which could make him the long-term option in that area of the pitch.

At 24, the Netherlands international has already built a wealth of experience, with 51 appearances for Celtic and 182 for Leverkusen, whilst still having plenty of years left to develop and improve, making him the perfect age for City to sign him.

The £40m-rated star’s form for Leverkusen in recent seasons also suggests that he has the quality to be an excellent addition to the squad, and one that could send Lewis packing because he could offer far more than the English defender.

Whilst the current Manchester City man has failed to provide a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League, Frimpong has been a constant threat for his club – scoring 29 goals and providing 40 assists for the German side to date.

As you can see in the table above, the Dutch sensation has provided far more quality in the final third in comparison to Lewis in the past two league campaigns, scoring ten more goals and registering ten more assists, to go along with a staggering 51 more key passes.

Frimpong, who was described as a “cheat code” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could come in to improve Manchester City’s attacking output down that flank, with his ability to score and create goals at an exceptional rate.

City swooping to sign the Leverkusen star, who is reportedly viewed as the long-term replacement for Walker, could force Lewis to consider his future at The Etihad, as it would mean that his natural position has been filled for the foreseeable future.

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This could, therefore, send the 20-year-old prospect packing, whether that is a permanent or temporary exit from the club, unless he is able to drastically improve his performances to overtake Frimpong next season, should the Cityzens sign the full-back.