Despite the social media frenzy triggered by photographs of a “secret” meeting, it has been clarified that the encounter between agent Moussa Sissoko and Manchester City’s sporting director Hugo Viana was not centered on a transfer for Ousmane Dembélé.
The meeting, which took place in Madrid on Thursday, March 12, 2026, was initially reported by Spanish outlet Diario SPORT as a potential precursor to a summer move for the French star.
However, follow-up reports from club sources indicate that no formal talks or contacts are underway regarding a move to the Etihad Stadium at this stage.
Context: The 2025 Ballon d’Or Factor
The speculation gained traction primarily because of Dembélé’s current status. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is in the middle of a complex contract standoff with Paris Saint-Germain.
While his current deal runs until June 2028, PSG have made his renewal a “national priority,” but negotiations are reportedly progressing at a “sluggish pace.”
As is common in high-level football, agents of elite players often maintain “routine preliminary engagements” with sporting directors of Europe’s top clubs—not necessarily to negotiate a specific transfer, but to keep lines of communication open and assess the landscape for future windows.
Manchester City’s Stance
Under the new leadership of Hugo Viana (who officially succeeded Txiki Begiristain as Director of Football in 2025), City are indeed scouting for “world-class blood” to rejuvenate a squad that has faced a challenging domestic campaign. However, the club’s immediate focus remains on:
- The Champions League: Preparing for the second-leg comeback attempt against Real Madrid.
- Internal Priorities: Assessing the future of the current forward line before committing to a blockbuster €100m+ operation.
The Verdict
For now, Dembélé remains fully committed to the Parisian project. While Sissoko is known for being a “market agitator” who explores all possibilities for his clients, this specific meeting appears to have been a general networking session rather than the start of “Operation Dembélé” in Manchester.
