Manchester City are considering moving on from Kalidou Koulibaly and have earmarked Jose Gimenez and Diego Carlos as potential alternatives, according to reports.
City struggled at the back last season - after failing to replace Vincent Kompany and suffering injuries to Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi - and it was a major factor in them losing their Premier League title to Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola clearly wants to rectify the issue and has already strengthened his back-line with the signing of the versatile Nathan Ake from Bournemouth, but City want to add add another top quality centre-back to their ranks.
Napoli's Koulibaly is the top target, but the transfer saga has been rumbling on all summer long without a hint of a deal getting close in the slightest.
It's understood that City have been in no rush to complete the signing and have been willing to wait for Napoli to lower their asking price, but president Aurelio di Laurentiis has repeatedly stated that the Senegal international won't be sold unless his valuation is met.
As a result, according to the Guardian, the Blues are weighing up alternatives for Koulibaly.
It's reported that Napoli continue to rate Koulibaly at £73.2million, which is deemed as too high by City for a 29-year-old - especially after they refused to pay that amount for Harry Maguire last summer.
Guardiola, the report states, is an admirer of both Atletico Madrid's Gimenez and Carlos of Sevilla, with the duo having release clauses of £109.8million and £68.7million, respectively.
It's claimed that if Napoli don't relent and lower their demands, then City may try and sign either of Gimenez or Carlos for a lot less than their release clauses.
Meanwhile, reports in Spain suggest new City signing Ferran Torres rejected the advances of Manchester United this summer.
Torres joined City after entering the final year of his contract with Valencia and AS claim he was viewed as an alternative to signing Jadon Sancho for the Reds.
The report claims talks had started with Torres but he decided to join Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
