Man City are to make a 'formal offer' for midfielder Bruno Fernandes in a meeting with Sporting's director Hugo Viana, according to reports.
City are expected to have a busy transfer window in the summer, after only adding Riyad Mahrez to the squad last year, and midfield appears to be an area in need of reinforcements.
While City have immense depth quality across the midfield, the growing age of Fernandinho and David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne's injury ravaged season and the uncertainty around Ilkay Gundogan's future means some additions could be necessary.
According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, via Sportwitness, City have 'scheduled a meeting' with Sporting director Hugo Viana who 'will be receiving a ‘formal offer’' for Fernandes 'once he gets in the city.'
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It's reported that after initially showing 'hey could pay €50m' City are 'ready to go to €70m, although the initial offer will be for the lower figure.'
It's also claimed that City want to 'avoid the ‘enormous competition’ there is for the midfielder, and that’s why they are trying to do things before the season is even over.'
The 24-year-old has had an amazing season for Sporting, scoring 28 goals and adding 16 assists in 49 games this season, which has peaked the interest of several of Europe's big clubs with Manchester United and PSG both being heavily linked.
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Fernandes' contract in Lisbon doesn't expire until 2023.
Meanwhile, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has revealed that an City are interested in midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed a stellar season with the Ligue 1 club, scoring twice on their Champions League run to the knockout stages to trigger widespread Premier League interest.
City are likely to bolster their midfields in the summer but Aulas has said he'd prefer Ndombele to follow Miralem Pjanic from Lyon to Juventus.
"It’s true that Juventus are after Ndombele,’ the Lyon chief told Italian news outlet Tuttosport.
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But there’s also PSG, Manchester United and City.
"I’d honestly like to see Ndombele at Juventus with Pjanic, a player we launched at Lyon and who I’m still very attached to.
"We’ll see what happens. I won’t talk about money. Economic parameters are the priority when selling players, but I’d like to sell him to (Juve chairman) Andrea Agnelli if all the offers were the same."
