After missing out on number one target Aymeric Laporte last week, Manchester City have moved for Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez.
City’s pursuit of Laporte ended abruptly as the Frenchman signed a new four-year deal with current club Athletic Bilbao, just days after reports that he had agreed on a deal to move to the Etihad.
However, according to Spanish newspaper AS, Sky Blues manager Pep Guardiola appears to have identified a new defensive target in Gimenez.
The 21-year-old has impressed under Diego Simeone in the Spanish capital and has already won 21 caps for his country, Uruguay.
Any deal for Gimenez, however, would require City meeting his €65m (£50m) buy-out clause.
The Citizens have already shown reluctance to spend such a large sum of money this summer, with the club refusing to pay the £65m buy-out clause of Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Everton centre-back John Stones also remains on Guardiola’s summer wishlist.
