Pep Guardiola is confident that Manchester City star Matheus Nunes can become ‘one of the best’ if he continues his impressive evolution in his new role.
Nunes signed from Wolves in the summer of 2023 for £53million, but initially found it hard to break into City’s stacked central midfield.
Injuries and the departure of Kyle Walker to AC Milan saw Nunes trialled at right-back throughout the second half of last season, a role which he performed to mixed success in a City team that endured an equally mixeccampaign.
Back on the bench to start the season, Nunes was once again deployed in the full-back role after the injury to Abdukodir Khusanov in September, but has taken his opportunity and impressed since then.
While Khusanov is still not fully fit to return, Nunes now appears to have be first choice, particularly after his latest impressive display against Villareal.
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And Guardiola believes that the sky is the limit for the 27-year-old in his new role, should he continue to develop and fully commit to making it his own.
‘He can be an incredible right-back,’ Guardiola said of Nunes in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa.
‘Matheus is a holding midfielder with incredible physicality and as much as he is focused, he can become one of the best [right-backs].
‘It’s a question of him now as we talk a lot about that. It’s just change your mind and feel that [you can be there].
‘He has special attributions to play in the sides, and in the last two or three games he has played unbelievable.’
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City currently sit three points behind league leaders Arsenal, but face a tough task away at Villa, having lost on their last two visits to Villa Park.
‘They were much better than us the last two fixtures we played at Villa Park. Hopefully it will be different on Sunday,’ he said. ‘The admiration I have for Unai is so high. He’s incredibly consistent, well prepared and so smart.
‘At Aston Villa I know they are not in the Champions League this season for one point. Last season for me they were Champions League [quality], they created a lot of problems for the champions PSG.
‘They are well organised, quality, one of the toughest away games we have in the season. Defensively they are really good, from set pieces also and I have the feeling he improved a lot in terms of the build up. With the keeper they have it is so difficult to control the pressing and they bring a lot of players in the middle.
‘The connection between them is really good, they break the lines with the strikers and when that happens they are so quick, attacking quick with the speed they have up front. The physicality is really good.
‘Pre-season is over, the season sometimes you start slowly in terms of results but they have done a lot in the Premier League that has been really good.’
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