Denayer fury at City’s Girona idea

Jason Denayer has lashed out at Manchester City for trying to force him to join Girona on a loan deal and vetoing a permanent move to Olympique Lyonnais.

The 22-year-old Dutch defender has had loan spells at Galatasaray, Glasgow Celtic and Sunderland but wanted to join the French club Lyon on a permanent deal this summer.

However, Pep Guardiola’s side only want him to join the La Liga new boys on loan – Girona are part of the the City Football Group, which includes the English club, New York City and Melbourne City.

"City put a veto on my leaving for Lyon," Denayer explained to Sport/Voetbalmagazine.

"They don't want to sell me or only in exorbitant or unreal conditions, like for example a buyback clause at the same price as that of the sale.

"Suddenly, clubs want me but only on loan. I'm not against that, but I want to choose my destination.

"In that regard, Lyon was a perfect club, an ambitious team in a good league.

“We had an agreement with Lyon, but not City, who absolutely want to loan me to Gijon (mistakenly Sporting Gijon, not Girona).

“But they have been promoted, play on the counterattack, it's a small city, they have few fans, totally the opposite of Lyon."

Guardiola’s brother Pere has a ruling stake in the Catalan club while City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain reportedly ensuring Girona completed the signing of Middlesbrough defender Bernardo Espinosa.

Tags Jason Denayer Manchester City
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