MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola has sensationally claimed that Matheus Nunes is “not clever enough” to play in midfield.
Nunes joined City in a £47million transfer from Wolves in the summer of 2023 and was initially considered by many as a natural replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who had just left as a free agent.
However, the midfielder has struggled to impress over the last 19 months.
And Guardiola has even suggested that he is not good enough to play in his favoured position.
Instead, the Spaniard believes that Nunes is best suited to playing as a right-back.
Following City’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, Guardiola said: “He can become a good right-back for the physicality.
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“I think he’s not a player to play in the middle because he’s not clever enough, in composure.
“He has incredible skills and he’s learning a lot; full-backs always have a big mistake when a cross to the far-post where you are, always they’re sleeping.
“And he defended really well two or three crosses from Bruno Fernandes, [Patrick] Dorgu. He has physicality to do it, he can play that position and he’s helped a lot.
“When we started the season and I tell we’re going to play Matheus at right-back, Nico [O’Reilly] left-back, you’d tell me, ‘What are you talking about?’
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“But the season is what it is. Akanji is coming back, and we have two young central defenders.
“But the last two or three games, the back four today again was excellent.”
Nunes has been playing as a full-back since Kyle Walker left to join AC Milan on loan in January.
A utility player, the Portugal international has been rotating with Rico Lewis in right-back the position.
This season, Nunes has also played at left-back, left midfield, left wing and in the centre of midfield.
