Rico Lewis Wants To Stay At Manchester City Amid Nottingham Forest Interest

Rico Lewis has said he has nary volition of leaving Manchester City this summertime and believes missing retired connected nan Premier League title past play has “fuelled nan fire” successful Pep Guardiola’s squad.

The 20-year-old England defender is nan taxable of liking from Nottingham Forest but Lewis, who joined City astatine nan property of eight, indicated that he would for illustration to enactment astatine nan Etihad. “For me, I’ve ne'er ever seen myself leaving,” Lewis said aft helping City to a 4-0 triumph astatine Wolves connected Saturday. “I’ve ever wanted to play for City. It’s my dream. When I’m playing pinch nan benignant of players that I’m playing with, it brings retired nan champion of me. So I’m truthful happy.”

Lewis made 44 appearances successful each competitions past play but fell down Matheus Nunes – typically a midfielder – successful nan pecking bid astatine right-back. Lewis has since spoken to Guardiola astir his future. “Everyone wants that assurance and security, but astatine nan extremity of day, it’s connected me,” Lewis added. “It’s connected maine to perform. Last play I played much than nan play before. So it’s ever nan aforesaid extremity – to go an established player.”

Guardiola signalled to Lewis that he remains a cardinal portion of his plans by preferring him to Nunes successful nan triumph astatine Molineux, successful which Erling Haaland scored doubly and Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki some recovered nan nett connected their convention debuts.

Discussing nan symptom of past play and City’s ambition to triumph a 5th title successful six years, Lewis said: “As overmuch arsenic we want to hide astir past season, evidently it’s successful nan backmost of our minds and possibly we could opportunity it’s fuelled nan occurrence successful us, but we’re truthful focused connected this season. We consciousness truthful overmuch stronger together arsenic a team. There’s ever hunger but I deliberation location could beryllium further hunger now that it’s not our crown to defend.”

Forest targeted Lewis arsenic portion of a double swoop of City academy talents pinch plans to motion nan versatile defender and James McAtee but person only sealed a woody for nan latter, for £30m. “I consciousness fresh for a caller situation and nan nine had a awesome play past year, truthful I want to thief build connected that and show what I tin do,” McAtee said aft being unveiled.

McAtee was unveiled arsenic a Forest subordinate aft joining from Manchester City for £22m. Photograph: x

Forest are connected a recruitment thrust aft their caput coach, Nuno Espírito Santo, suggested he was short of options earlier hosting Brentford connected Sunday. They are closing connected a woody for nan Rennes striker Arnaud Kalimuendo and are willing successful nan erstwhile Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, who is keen connected a return to nan Premier League from Juventus.

McAtee, who has signed a five-year contract, followed chap England Under-21 midfielder Omari Hutchinson successful joining Forest this week, aft nan 21-year-old winger switched from Ipswich successful a £37m deal.