Barcelona contacts Manchester City over Vitor Reis after Girona relegation

Barcelona’s sporting department, led by Deco, has reached out to Manchester City to clarify the club’s plans for 20‑year‑old centre‑back Vitor Reis following Girona’s relegation to Spain’s second division, with the Catalans reportedly eyeing a loan‑to‑buy deal for the summer window. Vitor Reis signed for Manchester City from Brazilian side Palmeiras in January 2025 for a fee reported around €37 million. Barcelona had previously tracked the defender before his move to the Etihad Stadium. Reis made four appearances for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola during the 2024‑25 season. He then spent the entire 2025‑26 campaign on loan at Girona. Girona were relegated to Spain’s second division at the end of the season. The drop removed the club as a viable loan base within the City Football Group network, leaving Reis’s immediate future open to reassessment. Barcelona’s recruitment staff cite Reis’s composure on the ball, technical quality and confidence under pressure as key attributes. They consider these traits a match for Hansi Flick’s demand for defenders comfortable holding an aggressive, high defensive line. Barcelona have yet to receive clarity from Manchester City on whether a temporary departure would be sanctioned. A loan with an option to buy is viewed as the most realistic mechanism rather than an outright sale. Manchester City invested significantly when signing Reis eighteen months ago, viewing him as a long‑term defensive prospect. With Girona no longer a viable loan base, City must decide between a fresh loan elsewhere, a permanent sale, or giving him a chance to challenge for a squad place under incoming manager Enzo Maresca, who is overseeing a significant back‑line rebuild this summer. Barcelona’s own defensive recruitment remains unsettled, with Deco’s department weighing several scenarios ahead of the transfer window. Reis’s profile, age and experience in Spanish football ensure he will be a key topic in discussions between the clubs before any final agreement.