Manchester City are weighing up a shock move for Cardiff City youngster Cameron Coxe.
WalesOnline understands the Premier League champions have been impressed by the 20-year-old, having scouted him several times throughout the season.
Coxe is out of contract in the summer, but the Bluebirds are keen on keeping him in the Welsh capital and have already offered him a new deal to stay at the club.
The player himself, who came close to joining Bristol Rovers on loan in January, is understood to prefer to stay with his boyhood club, but is growing frustrated at the lack of first-team opportunities at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Should he join the Premier League champions, he would most likely be sent out on loan to one of their sister clubs around the world.
New York City, Melbourne City and Girona are just some of the clubs in the City Football Group’s portfolio, and Coxe is just one of several young British stars identified as a candidate to boost their overall talent pool, before hopefully then challenging for a place in Pep Guardiola’s plans.
Coxe made his first-team debut for the Bluebirds in August 2017 in the EFL Cup against Burton Albion and has been on the fringes of the senior squad ever since.
The attacking full-back has represented Wales from Under-17s to under-21s and he was also named in the senior squad for last summer’s friendly with Mexico, and has attracted plenty of admirers.
Those inside the Wales Under-21s camp believe the full-back is more than capable of performing to at least a Championship standard, and there are concerns that his talents could be wasted should he continue to be denied a chance at first-team level.
A move to Man City is likely to echo memories of when winger Rabbi Matondo left the Bluebirds in 2016.
Cardiff were powerless to prevent the then 16-year-old Matondo moving up north, with Guardiola’s side parting with just £500,000 to complete the deal. You can read the story of his remarkable journey in his own words here.
