Manchester City seek to bring Girona into City Football Group and expand club network

The deal is not expected to be a full acquisition but will strengthen ties between the pair

Girona already have a close working relationship with Manchester City (Getty)

Manchester City are working to bring Spanish side Girona FC into City Football Group this summer.

Girona have just been promoted to the Spanish top flight for the first time in their history and have enjoyed close ties with Manchester City for years.

City have been keen to formalise those ties since last year and while reports in Spain said that a deal has already been completed, City denied those on Tuesday, insisting nothing has been done yet. City also denied that they would be buying Girona joint with Media Base Sports, Pere Guardiola’s agency. Pep’s brother has been a senior adviser to Girona FC over recent years.

But while a deal to partner with Girona is not understood to be imminent, City are working on one and hope to announce it later this summer. It is not expected to be a full acquisition of the club by CFG.

Last season City loaned three of their young Spanish players to Girona for experience, Pablo Maffeo, Angelino and Pablo Mari. Angelino, however, did not play for Girona and joined RCD Mallorca after one month instead.

With Girona playing in the Spanish top flight next season they will be an even more attractive destination for Manchester City’s loan players and more are expected to head to the Estadi Montilivi over the summer.

CFG expanded earlier this year when they bought Uruguayan second division side Club Atletico Torque in early April, to give them their first outpost in Latin America. City also confirmed a partnership with Venezuelan side Atletico Venezuela.

Those deals will help City with scouting, recruitment and commercial opportunities in South America, making them the first Premier League side to have such a link-up. And with clubs already in Australia and the United States, the next step for CFG is back in Spain.