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Manchester City have made their position clear over Chelsea's huge valuation of Malo Gusto, with Enzo Maresca keen to reunite with the defender at his new club. Chelsea are asking for a premium transfer fee for the French full-back as they look to balance their finances after a big-spending summer under new manager Xabi Alonso.

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City want reunion but are unwilling at current price

City are said to be interested in taking Gusto to the Etihad Stadium, but the Premier League champions have been taken aback by Chelsea's demands, according to RMC Sport. The Blues have placed a hefty valuation on the 23-year-old, with reports indicating they want £75 million for the former Lyon player. At present, City are not prepared to match that asking price.

The interest is understood to come mainly from new City manager Enzo Maresca, who is eager to strengthen his backline with a specialist right-back. During his spell at Stamford Bridge, Maresca leaned heavily on Gusto's athletic qualities and tactical intelligence, and he feels the Frenchman would be an ideal fit for his system in Manchester.

Alonso reshapes the Chelsea project

As the Gusto situation develops, Xabi Alonso has moved quickly to impose his own ideas on the Chelsea squad. The Spaniard has overseen a major rebuild of the side that failed to qualify for European football last season, with the aim of returning the club to the top level of the Champions League. The arrival of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa in a £117 million deal has already underlined Chelsea's ambition and their readiness to spend heavily on elite domestic talent. But in order to balance the squad amid such sweeping changes, notable exits are expected.

Gusto is not the only big-name player who could leave during this transition. Alonso is also willing to part with other established first-team figures to create space for the players he wants to bring in.

Neto and Fernandez also on City's radar

Maresca's attempt to sign players from his former club may not end with Gusto. The Italian coach is also being strongly linked with Portuguese winger Pedro Neto, whom Chelsea value in a similar range to Gusto. With Savinho potentially heading to Tottenham, Neto has become a leading option to add speed and creativity to City's attack.

In addition, City are reportedly monitoring Enzo Fernandez closely as a 'dream' replacement for Rodri, if the Spaniard chooses to go back to La Liga with Barcelona. Chelsea are thought to be seeking more than £120m for the Argentine World Cup winner.

Full-back reshuffle at Stamford Bridge

Gusto's possible exit comes at a time when Chelsea's full-back positions are being completely reworked under Alonso. On the left side, Marc Cucurella has already completed a move to Real Madrid, while Pep Chavarria has arrived as his direct replacement. On the right, Chelsea have made a significant investment in the future by signing Serie A Defender of the Year Marco Palestra from Bologna.

That major outlay on Palestra strongly suggests that Gusto can be sold if Chelsea receive the right offer. With captain Reece James still the clear first-choice leader when fit, Gusto could be looking at reduced minutes if he remains at Stamford Bridge.