Patience wearing thin as Vitor Reis' next move hangs in the balance
The question of where Vitor Reis plays his football this season is becoming the most intriguing subplot of City's summer. Two composed displays against Inter Milan and the K-League All-Stars have only sharpened the debate.
The 3-1 win at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Thursday gave Maresca another look at a defender who looks increasingly like the finished article. Cool in possession, unflappable under pressure, reading the game before it happens — Reis ticks every box City look for in a centre-back.
"Vitor is working very well. I am happy with him. The only thing is for most of the young players here with us, the plan is to finish pre-season and then take the final decision. And we will take the best decision for them, not just us."
That decision, Maresca confirmed, will be made once the squad returns to Manchester. Whether Reis stays as fifth-choice centre-back or heads out on loan again remains genuinely up in the air.
Girona year has transformed the Brazilian
Twelve months in La Liga on loan at Girona have clearly accelerated his development. The difference in his game is striking — more confident, more mature, more assured in everything he does. The raw talent was always there; the seasoning was what he needed.
Staying at the Etihad has obvious appeal. As fifth-choice he would train with the first team daily and learn from the best. But there is a catch: he may not play often enough to keep growing. At 20, Reis needs minutes, not just sessions.
The alternative is another loan, ideally to a Premier League club or one competing in the Champions League. That path would give him consistent football at the highest level, before returning next summer ready to anchor the City defence for a decade.
One thing is certain. There is no chance City entertain selling him. Reis looms as the future of this defence, and everyone at the club knows it. The only question is how best to get him there.