Transfer Centre

Manchester City 'line up move for Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 21 August 2018

Manchester City reportedly identify Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen as cover for Claudio Bravo, who suffered a ruptured Achilles in training.

Manchester City have reportedly identified Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen as a potential replacement for the injured Claudio Bravo.

Bravo is expected to face a prolonged spell on the sidelines after City confirmed that the Chilean suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in training on Monday.

The severity of the 35-year-old's injury will be determined by further tests in Barcelona on Thursday, but City are already considering options for cover for Ederson during the second half of the season.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims that Pep Guardiola has earmarked Cillessen as one of those options, with the 29-year-old thought to be unhappy with his lack of game time at Barcelona.

Cillessen is behind Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the pecking order at Camp Nou and missed out on a place in the Spanish Super Cup win over Sevilla last week, despite being regarded as the club's cup goalkeeper.

The Netherlands international is thought to be open to the idea of leaving the Catalan outfit, but City must now wait until January to sign any new players and would not be able to offer Cillessen the promise of regular first-team football.