Algeria Football– Pep Guardiola, coach of Manchester City, would have set his sights on Omar El Hilali, Moroccan right back from Espanyol Barcelona, to strengthen his squad during the 2025 summer transfer window. At 21, El Hilali is seen as a potential successor to Kyle Walker, whose contract with Manchester City expires in June 2026.
Manchester City is looking for a right back to take over from Walker, who will turn 35 next May. According to information reported by Mundo Deportivo, the English club are closely monitoring El Hilali, whose defensive qualities and ability to project forward make him an ideal profile to integrate into Guardiola’s fast and dynamic game. The young Moroccan player is also followed by other European clubs, including Aston Villa and Brighton.
Omar El Hilali has already attracted attention in Spain, where he has received offers from big clubs. However, the young defender had previously refused an offer from FC Barcelona, choosing to remain loyal to his training club, Espanyol Barcelona. “I received two offers from Barcelona, but I refused them. If Espanyol offers me a lifetime contract, I will stay here forever,” he declared, demonstrating his attachment to Espanyol, which he considers to be the club that believed in him from the start.
Moroccan international, El Hilali has several selections with the national teams under 20 and 23 years old. His performances in La Liga this season, where he has appeared in 11 matches for Espanyol, reinforce his reputation as a promising young talent.
Besides El Hilali, Manchester City are also exploring other options for the right-back position, including players like Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) and Vanderson (AS Monaco). However, El Hilali appears to be favored by Guardiola, who sees him as a key piece for the future.
For El Hilali, joining Manchester City would be an exceptional opportunity to take a step forward in his career by playing for one of the biggest clubs in Europe and in a championship as competitive as the Premier League. In the meantime, he continues his journey with Espanyol, where he continues to impress with his consistency and his involvement on the pitch.
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