At long last, City look to have finally captured a center back to fill the massive void left by Vincent Kompany. Here is a quick run down of Benfica captain, Ruben Dias.
Full name: Ruben Santos Gato Alves Dias
Nationality: Portuguese
Age: 23
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 183lbs
Previous Clubs: Benfica (First team debut in 2017)
Deal Details: Reported £62m (potential £3.3m in add-ons). Nicolas Otamendi going to Benfica as part of a separate deal.
Playing Style: Ruben Dias is a front foot defender that is used to defending against the counter. At Benfica, he has been asked to a lot of the same things that will be required of him at Manchester City. Dias, the captain of Benfica, also possesses a great range of passive and outstanding vision for a center back. Frequently playing progressive passes that break the lines, including diagonals out to the wings, are a trademark of Dias' style. To go along with the technical skill that he brings, Ruben Dias has also displayed great organizational skills and leadership in his 3 years since making his debut for Benfica's first team.
What does this mean for City?
Since the departure of club legend Vincent Kompany, Manchester City have been searching high and low for a replacement. This summer, if reports are to be believed, the club were in for no less than 3 top center backs. In Ruben Dias, they would be acquiring a player that ticks almost every box when it comes to filling in the gap at the back. Ruben Dias is the captain of Benfica at just 23 and is a regular starter for reigning UEFA Nations League champions, Portugal. He has the frame to cope with the physical aspects of the Premier League, and he has the technical ability to adapt to Guardiola's style of football. Dias' vision and range of passing would allow City to stretch the opposition out both vertically and horizontally, as he can ping a ball to anywhere on the pitch and has become known for his diagonal balls out to the wing. When defending, Dias is aggressive and will step out of the back line to close down an attack quickly if the moment calls for it. If not, he does a great job of forcing attackers wide until the rest of his team can regroup. There are very few negatives to Ruben Dias, and this could end up being a truly special signing. If Dias can continue his progression as a player, City may have picked up a right footed Aymeric Laporte. The center back pairing of Laporte and Dias, if both remain healthy and keep realizing their potential, could and should be the best in the league for a long time to come. Bem-vindo a Manchester, Ruben Dias.
Joey McCune
@jtmccune on twitter
This has aged well!