Reports from the Manchester Evening News indicate that Manchester City is interested in Atalanta right-back Palaiestra, with this season's Serie A Defender of the Year also meeting the Citizens' transfer requirements.
Due to an outstanding season in Serie A, transfer rumors linking Palaiestra with Manchester City are rampant.
An explosion after converting from a midfielder to a full-back? Does that sound familiar? Manchester City already has one right-back who transitioned from midfield, and they might add another this summer – the Citizens are currently very interested in Atalanta's Palaiestra.
The 21-year-old has been outstanding in Serie A this season, shining during his loan spell at Cagliari. Although the "Islanders" ultimately finished only 14th in the league, his performance was enough to earn him the Serie A Defender of the Year award and a call-up to the Italian national team.
This promising young star will return to his parent club, Atalanta, this summer, and it's no surprise that he has attracted attention from several top European clubs. If Palaiestra chooses to leave, he will not be short of suitors, but Atalanta, who just agreed to sell midfielder Ederson to Manchester United, is clearly unwilling to let Italy's most talented young star go cheaply.
Manchester City is one of the clubs interested in the youngster, who has previously been linked with Inter Milan and Arsenal. The Citizens need a right-back to compete with Nunes, and Palaiestra additionally possesses the ability to play on the left; furthermore, he came through the Bergamo (Atalanta) youth academy, originally a midfielder until he dropped back to play full-back at U17 level, which means he can comfortably receive the ball in attacking areas and has the ability to tuck inside to the middle.
Last season, Palaiestra primarily played as a right-back, a modern full-back: possessing natural athleticism, superb crossing technique, and a physique that allows him to shuttle up and down the flank.
He perfectly fits Manchester City's transfer needs. Although the rumored £45 million price tag is high for a player with only one full first-team season, Italian football widely believes that Palaiestra has significant room for improvement.