Manchester City are set to complete the signing of former West Ham United forward Divin Mubama after his contract ran out earlier in the summer, according to The Athletic.
The 19-year-old left the Hammers following his refusal to sign a new deal amid a disagreement about his future minutes at the club, but is now expected to train predominantly with City’s Under-21 side but will get sessions alongside Pep Guardiola’s first team after heavy links with Everton, West Brom and Sunderland. Lyon and Famalicão were also interested in his services but City beaten them in the race.
City will be forced to pay a ‘transfer fee’ for Mubama due to the star leaving West Ham under the age of 24, meaning they’re entitled to compensation. Having made 12 appearances in all competitions last year under David Moyes, Mubama has potential which he showed in West Ham’s FA Youth Cup-winning side in 2023.Mubama netted a hat-trick against Southampton in the semi-final and eventually finished as the competition’s top scorer with eight goals, and in turn was voted the club’s young player of the year in 2022-23.
Elsewhere, City will sanction a loan for Kalvin Phillips recently-promoted Ipswich Town as the 29-year-old continues to try and find a permanent exit away from the Etihad Stadium.
The loan move will be Phillip’s second loan spell away from City after spending the second half of last season at West Ham where he made just ten appearances across all competitions. The star’s two years under Pep Guardiola have been plagued by injury issues and poor form which has seen him fail to ‘repay’ much of the £42m spent on him during his move from Leeds United.
Phillips’ relationship with Guardiola has also come under scrutiny after the Spaniard claimed the England international was ‘overweight’ after returning from the 2022 World Cup, a comment that left Phillips deeply unhappy and one which Guardiola eventually apologised for earlier this year.
Amidst all of that, Phillips now looks set to become a key part of Kieran McKenna’s side at Portman Road as the Tractor Boys look to avoid relegation in their first season back in the Premier League since 2002. The deal is said to have no obligation to buy.