Manchester City have raised more money to spend on transfers this summer by securing the permanent sale of defender Ko Itakura.
Japan international Itakura, 25, joined City in January 2019 from Kawasaki Frontale for around £1m, and immediately spent 18 months on loan at FC Groningen in the Netherlands - a spell which was then extended for a further season. There, he made 59 appearances, and would spend the 2021/22 season in the Bundesliga at Schalke.
It was in Germany where Itakura really kicked on, having represented Japan in the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics that summer, playing 32 times at Schalke. There was a £5m option for Schalke to buy Itakura this summer, but they couldn't afford that figure, so he has now secured a permanent move 40 miles south-west to Borussia Monchengladbach.
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Reports in Germany say the centre-back will raise €5m for City's transfer fund, with add-ons included in the deal. He signs a three-year contract at Borussia-Park.
Monchengladbach Sporting Director Roland Virkus said: “Ko is an incredibly strong runner and a tactically-disciplined player who can play in an array of different positions across the defence, including in defensive midfield.
“He certainly had several attractive offers on the table, which makes us even more pleased that he’s chosen to sign with us, because he’s an important part of our plans.”
Itakura follows Pedro Porro out of City having never represented the first team, with the Spanish full-back signing for Sporting permanently for a pre-agreed fee of around £8m. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has joined Southampton for a reported £10m, while CJ Egan-Riley moved to Burnley this week for a nominal fee. Those incoming deals add to the £55m sale of Ferran Torres to Barcelona in January.
Academy midfielder Darko Gyabi is set for a £5m move to Leeds in a separate deal to the one taking Kalvin Phillips to the Etihad, while U23 teammate Sam Edozie has been linked with a £10m switch to Bayer Leverkusen.
Gabriel Jesus' £45m switch to Arsenal is imminent, with multiple sightings of the Brazilian in London and at the Emirates ahead of an official confirmation of his signing. Raheem Sterling could also be close to a transfer to Chelsea, taking City's potential earnings this summer to over £200m.
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