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Major League Soccer has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for New York City FC attacking midfielder Talles Magno. Signed for €7.3 million from Vasco Da Gama in 2021, Magno saw his market value drop to €7m then rise to €15m before dropping again to €10m. Despite all that up and down, or because of it, the 21-year-old Brazilian could be on the move this winter with Gianluca di Marzio reporting that Serie A side Bologna are interested in the Brazilian.
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According to that report, Bologna are currently willing to pay around €13-14 million for the attacking midfielder. The report also states that the two clubs are still some ways apart with New York City FC asking in the region of €20m. Just to put that into perspective, that would not only make Magno the most expensive outgoing transfer in NYCFC history but also the second most expensive transfer in MLS history (overview).
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At this stage, however, we are still some ways away from a potential €20m transfer. At the same time, it is no coincidence that Bologna are linked with the Brazilian midfield maestro. After all, the club is owned by the powerful Montréal-based Saputo family, who also own the MLS club CF Montréal and will, therefore, be familiar with the player. Under the stewardship of chairman Joey Saputo, Bologna have slowly but surely established themselves as a creditable mid-table Serie A side that, at times this season, has been pushing for European places.
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Although Bologna have improved this season, a €20m transfer fee seems unrealistic. After all, the Serie A side has never spent more than €15m on a new player. The club’s record transfer is Riccardo Orsolini, who was signed for €15m from Juventus during the 2019/20 season and scored a respectable 51 goals and 26 assists in 201 games.
Furthermore, through their ownership of CF Montréal, the Saputos will be more than aware of Magno’s recent struggles. After winning the MLS Cup with NYCFC in 2021, Magno was one of the best players in the league the following season, scoring seven goals and eight assists in 34 regular season games. During that time, Magno’s market value exploded to €15m. But a weak season in which the Brazilian scored four goals and two assists in 30 regular season games. With NYCFC missing the playoffs, Magno’s market value collapsed to €10m.
In fact, inconsistency has been Magno’s most significant weakness in his still young career dating back to Brazil. A strong season has been regularly followed by a weaker campaign. Some of that inconsistency might be explained by his age. But another factor has been that the Brazilian has struggled to carry a team on his own. With that in mind, Magno would be an excellent complementary piece for a team in a top 4 league, but perhaps not a top signing expected to lead the line. The Saputos will be aware of this and negotiate accordingly.
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