Manchester City sign Riben Diaz in bid to improve leaky defense

Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA |   Manchester City have agreed a deal to sign Benfica’s 23-year-old central defender Ruben Diaz for 65 million pounds (83.4 million US dollars), with a further four million dollars in incentives.

The Portuguese club have confirmed the move, which will see Nicolas Otamendi move in the opposite direction.

News of the transfer comes in the wake of Manchester City’s 5-2 thrashing at home to Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. The game is the first time a side coached by Pep Guardiola has conceded five goals at home and once again served to highlight the problems at the heart of his side’s defense.

Guardiola fielded new signing Nathan Ake and youngster Eric Garcia, neither of whom is six feet tall.

Diaz is a stylish right-sided defender, who is comfortable on the ball and should complement the left-footed Aymeric Laporte in the Manchester City defense. He already has international experience after forming part of the 2018 Portugal World Cup squad.

He played in Benfica’s 2-0 win over Moreinense on Saturday after which Benfica coach Jorge Jesus commented he was “pretty sure” it would be his last game for the Lisbon-based outfit.

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XINHUA