Manchester City have been named among 13 clubs tracking Lens centre-back Ismaelo Ganiou, a 21-year-old already being billed as the “new Varane” and tipped for a big-money move in the summer of 2027.
It is a crowded queue. Reports suggest Man City sit alongside five other Premier League clubs, plus three of Ligue 1’s biggest names and four sides from Italy and Germany, all watching a defender whose value has shot up in the space of a few months.
There is a familiar ring to it, too. City went to the same club for a young centre-back once before, when they moved for Abdukodir Khusanov in January 2025, and the two sides meet in the Champions League league phase on 20 January 2027 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, which gives the scouts a front-row seat.
Who is Ismaelo Ganiou?
Ganiou is a French prospect who plays at centre-back for Lens. He was kept in the squad until the end of the 2026 summer transfer window, but the feeling now is that he has a strong chance of leaving the next time the door opens.
The “new Varane” tag is no accident. Raphael Varane left Lens for Real Madrid in the summer of 2011, went on to become a world champion in 2018 and moved to Manchester United ten years after leaving northern France. Lens have produced a top-class centre-back before, and they know what one is worth.
How much is the Lens centre-back worth?
He is now the most highly valued player in the Lens squad, with an estimated market value of £25.5m (€30m). That puts him level with French goalkeeper Robin Risser at the top of their list.
The jump is what stands out. Ganiou’s value rose by £8.5m (€10m) between June and September 2026 alone, and Lens are thought to be eyeing a sale that could break into the top 10 in the club’s history. It has not been an easy 2026-27 campaign for them, which only makes a big fee for their prize asset more likely next summer.
A knee injury, but no let-up in interest
Ganiou is currently out for several weeks with a knee injury. It has done nothing to slow things down: the list of clubs taking an interest in his situation and profile keeps getting longer.
Man City and the 12 other clubs in the race
The full list is a who’s who. In France, Paris Saint-Germain are joined by Marseille and Monaco. In England, City are named alongside Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle, Fulham and Brentford. Atalanta and Como are the Serie A sides involved, while Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are monitoring it from Germany.
| Country | Clubs linked with Ganiou |
|---|---|
| England | Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle, Fulham, Brentford |
| France | Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Monaco |
| Italy | Atalanta, Como |
| Germany | Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig |
Nothing is close to being decided, and it remains to be seen whether Lens can hold on to him or whether one of these clubs makes a concrete move in the coming months. The summer of 2027 is where the smart money sits.
Why would Maresca want another centre-back?
Look at City’s back line right now and the interest makes sense. Enzo Maresca has been short at the back during this international break, with Khusanov and Marc Guehi both missing out on their national team duties, and the defensive mistakes that have cost City in recent weeks have only added to the pressure on the position.
A 21-year-old who could be bought before he hits his peak, and then grown at the Etihad, is exactly the kind of signing City have made from Ligue 1 before. Khusanov came from the same dressing room, so the club already know the people and the pathway.
Is Ismaelo Ganiou the right target for Man City?
For us, he fits the profile, but the price and the queue are the problem. Thirteen clubs means a bidding war, and Lens have every reason to wait for the summer and let the fee climb. City would also be up against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea for the same signature.
The January trip to Lens could end up mattering more than any scouting report. If Ganiou is back from his knee injury by then and lines up against them that night, City will get the best possible look at him before anyone else makes a move.
