Malo Gusto has reportedly agreed in principle to join Manchester City, but the move is still being shaped by Chelsea's asking price. The defender is said to want the switch because of Enzo Maresca, while Chelsea are holding out for around £75 million. It is a transfer story built on interest, valuation and a manager he already knows well.

Maresca's pull on Gusto

The clearest reason this link keeps resurfacing is Maresca. Gusto said of him: "He's a top coach and that's why we're in the final, because of him – that includes getting into the Champions League for next season. He created a good team, good energy between us, so we are very happy." He also added: "He's very detailed. He watches the team we face and focuses a lot on us, like how we're going to build, how we're going to press and the patterns we have to create between us. It helps us a lot."

That helps explain why a reunion appeals. Gusto featured 72 times during Maresca's 18 months at Chelsea, so this is not a loose link between a player and a coach who barely worked together. It is a relationship that already has a lot of football in it.

Chelsea's price stays the obstacle

The sticking point is still the fee. Chelsea value Gusto at around £75 million and City are not keen to meet that asking price yet. One report also puts the club's stance at a level well above what would make the deal easy, which leaves the two sides a fair distance apart.

There is some disagreement over how advanced the move really is. Some reports say Gusto has already given City the green light, while others still frame it as only a provisional agreement. The same applies to Chelsea's price, with different figures circulating, but the one constant is that City have not moved to the level Chelsea want.

For now, this reads like a case where the player and manager side of the story is ahead of the money side. City like the fit, Gusto likes the idea, and Chelsea are in position to wait. The next development will be whether the fee moves enough for the conversation to turn into a bid.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →