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Sport Football Transfers Ruben Dias: Man City agree £64m deal for Benfica defender with Nicolas Otamendi out Dias will join with Nicolas Otamendi moving in the opposite direction
Mark Critchley Northern Football Correspondent
Monday 28 September 2020 08:45 EDT
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Subscribe Already subscribed? Log in Benfica defender and Manchester City-bound Ruben Dias (AFP via Getty Images)
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Your support makes all the difference. Close Read more Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign Ruben Dias for approximately £64m in the coming days, as Pep Guardiola seeks to finalise his defensive rebuild.
The development was announced by Benfica , from whom Dias is expected to arrive in an arrangement that will see Nicolas Otamendi end his five-year City career and move in the opposite direction.
The 23-year-old centre-half appeared to bid farewell to Benfica after scoring in their 2-0 home win over Moreirense on Saturday night.
“I am very happy, of course,” he said. “It was very important for me to be able to score with a goal. It is a special moment. I think people already understand why.”
A right-footed centre-half has been City's priority in this transfer window, though negotiations with Napoli for their first-choice target Kalidou Koulibaly broke down.
City also persued Sevilla's Jules Koundé but have settled on Dias, who has played 19 times for Portugal and was linked with a move to the Etihad since late 2018.
The signing will follow an emphatic 5-2 home defeat against Leicester City - the first time in Guardiola's career that a side of his has conceded five goals in one game.
Dias will join left-footed centre-half Nathan Aké, who joined for £41m from Bournemouth, and winger Ferran Torres as a new arrival at the Etihad.
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