Manchester City Transfer Rumours: Why Marco Reus Would Be the Perfect Signing

Just as has been the case with numerous other BVB stars in the last five years, Marco Reus is one of those Borussia Dortmund players to have seen his stock skyrocket in North Rhine-Westphalia.

According to a recent report from the Daily Star’s Adrian Kajumba, Manchester City are one such club to have taken notice of “The Skunk”, whose value has gone nowhere but up since moving to the Westfalenstadion.

Having originally played as part of the Black and Yellows’ youth academy for 10 years, Reus first unlocked some of his truer potential with Borussia Mönchengladbach, helping the club to unfamiliar Bundesliga success.

So many times have players shone or stood out amongst less bright stars only to fade into the background after finding themselves around an altogether higher standard.

However, several months away from completing his first full season back under the tutelage of Borussia Dortmund, Reus has shown that he is most definitely capable of performing alongside a high pedigree of player, both at club level and internationally.

While their defence has been somewhat lacklustre at times this season, the Dortmund attack has kept up its side of the bargain for much of the current campaign, failing to score in just four percent of league fixtures this season.

Part of the emerging German national team, Reus has been a major part of that offensive movement, scoring 11 goals and contributing nine assists in just 22 Bundesliga starts this term.

What makes Reus’ statistics all the more impressive is that, while capable of playing in the position, the 23-year-old has spent little time as an “out-and-out striker” and has instead flourished in the vacuum left behind by Shinji Kagawa’s departure to Manchester United.

While Manchester City are admittedly well reinforced in all areas of the pitch, it’s perhaps here that the reigning Premier League champions might make use of some summer recruitment.

Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero have all spent time occupying the trequartista role and have thrived at times, but that’s what good players do when placed in unnatural surroundings.

If Reus were to move to the Etihad Stadium, he would undoubtedly be the strongest asset at the disposal of Roberto Mancini in that position—should the Italian still find himself in the role after the summer transfer window.

This would of course allow others to flourish in their strongest areas of the pitch, rather than fill in where less effective—as can be seen in the graphics comparing Reus with Yaya Toure, the player to have played most frequently in “the hole” this season.

With Reus at the club, Toure, a far more rounded creature by nature, would be allowed more freedom in the centre of the field, asserting his presence in a defensive sense as well as rampaging forward from time to time.

In recent years, more understated Bundesliga ex-pats have come from Germany’s top flight only to find new success in the Premier League—Demba Ba, Papiss Demba Cissé, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Pavel Pogrebnyak are just some of those that spring to mind.

So far this season, WhoScored.com report Reus as averaging two key passes per game, a number which David Silva is the only Manchester City player to beat, having been of great success functioning from left midfield.

Even considering his effectiveness in the centre however, Reus is in no way limited in his playing nature and regularly floats to the wings—he has actually seen a large majority of his contributions come from the wings.

The 23-year-old favours his right foot but can act on both and showed during his one-man army days with ‘Gladbach that he has the versatility to play as a forward should the need arise.

It’s this kind of malleability that will assuredly only help the attacker’s reputation as a Manchester City target, the kind of ability needed by players helping to challenge for European silverware.

Although their success in recent years has put Borussia Dortmund back in the continent’s view as one of the strongest clubs in Europe, Jurgen Klopp’s men are still susceptible to selling their strongest players.

Although the Bundesliga’s infrastructure is arguably the best-run of the world’s elite divisions, Bayern Munich remain the only German outfit capable of competing with the likes of Manchester City in terms of finance.

As such, while Der BVB will certainly not want to be relieved of one of their finest players, Marco Reus might be sold on at a profit this summer, should the Daily Star’s article indeed prove true.

Capable of playing anywhere in attacking midfield, Reus would be the perfect addition for a side looking to re-establish themselves as a club worthy of Premier League honours after falling away from the glitz and glamour slightly. 

Agree with my judgement of Marco Reus as Manchester City's ideal summer recruit? If not, let me know who you think the Citizens should make their highest priority in the comments section below and be sure to follow me on Twitter @TomSunderland.