Manchester City remain one piece of business away from completing the perfect summer transfer window and will push over the next two days to make it happen.
A difference in valuation over Brighton full-back Marc Cucurella is the stumbling block but it looks odds on the Spain international signing for the Champions. Even splashing £50million on the defender would leave City with a net profit of £70m on dealings in 2022, which, considering how good the squad looks on paper, is impressive.
And that deal could get over the line if City offer one of the brightest young talents for a loan spell on the south coast to sweeten the deal. Here Mirror Sport rounds up the best of City’s transfer news, rumours and gossip
Bernardo blow
Bernardo Silva has been linked with a move away from the Etihad several times this summer with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain showing an interest.
But numerous reports have reaffirmed the sense that Pep Guardiola does not want to lose his Portuguese wizard and the player is happy to stay for at least another season.
Silva joined City from AS Monaco in 2017 and has made 249 appearances across the board, scoring 48 goals with 50 assists. The 27-year-old had a hand in 20 goals from 50 games last season, so he’s an important player to Guardiola.
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Foden 'close' to new deal
City’s successful business this summer has played right into the hands of Phil Foden who looks set to land a bumper pay rise. The City and England forward is set to sign a new deal keeping him at the club on a whopping £200,000 a week five year deal according to HITC. It will put him behind only the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and new summer signing Erling Haaland as one of the biggest earners at the club.
Foden has been in discussions with City over a new contract for months but is seen as one of City’s most important figures and has been key to the club’s last two top flight wins.
City seek loan assurances
City have said they will consider allowing their highly rated England U21 star James McAtee to go out on loan if clubs can give assurances the 19-year-old will play regularly. Leeds have made it known they are keen on providing such guarantees, and Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Villarreal are all showing strong interest in the attacking midfielder.
But given Brighton tried unsuccessfully to sign the midfielder last summer could it be that McAtee could be the key to unblocking the Cucurella impasse?
The Daily Mail report that the loan option is a viable route for the teenager to gain top flight experience for a player who his first of six Premier League appearances in November. McAtee also enjoyed his first experience of Champions League football in the second leg of City's last-16 tie against Sporting Lisbon.
