Manchester City are monitoring three midfielders as they continue their pursuit of a replacement for Fernandinho.
The MEN understands Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri remains City's No.1 target but the Blues are not pinning all of their hopes on landing the 22-year-old.
Rodri has a release clause of €70million at Atletico but City are hopeful of signing him for a lower fee.
Should that not be possible City may look elsewhere, with Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele and Real Madrid's Marco Llorente both on the Blues' radar.
Ndombele shone for Lyon in their Champions League win at the Etihad at the beginning of the campaign.
Lyon reportedly rejected a bid from Tottenham for the 22-year-old midfielder earlier this week.
Llorente, meanwhile, endured an injury-ravaged campaign at Madrid and managed just 16 appearances in all competitions.
City are determined to sign Fernandinho's long-term successor this summer after losing out to Chelsea in their pursuit of Jorginho last year.
It had looked for all the world like the Italy international would move to the Etihad only for the lure of moving to London and working with Maurizio Sarri to turn his head at the 11th hour.
Fernandinho turns 35 next season and injury forced him to miss almost a quarter of City's Premier League games over the course of their title-winning campaign.
The Germany international Ilkay Gundogan proved himself to be an able deputy for Fernandinho in the run-in but there are doubts surrounding his long-term future at the club, despite his insistence that he is keen to renew his contract in Manchester.
