Man City news: Savinho deal

City’s summer rebuild moved another step forward on Thursday, with Savinho edging towards Tottenham and the club expected to add two midfielders before the transfer window closes.

It was another busy day at Read Man City.

A deal worth up to €99m has reportedly been agreed for Savinho, Ayyoub Bouaddi is waiting for permission to travel for a medical and Manu Koné has emerged as another midfield option.

Elsewhere, Nico Gonzalez still wants to prove himself at City despite Newcastle’s interest, while Palmeiras winger Allan is now being considered as a possible replacement for Savinho.

We also took a detailed look at City’s position under the Premier League’s new Squad Cost Ratio rules.

Here are Thursday’s main City stories and talking points.

Savinho edges towards €99m Tottenham move

The biggest development of the day concerns Savinho.

City and Tottenham have reportedly agreed the basis of a deal worth up to €99m for the Brazilian winger.

The proposed agreement is understood to be worth €93.3m up front with another €5.7m available in bonuses, with Savinho expected to be cleared to undergo a medical.

Nothing is complete until the remaining formalities are dealt with, but the move has now progressed considerably beyond the earlier discussions over City’s valuation.

City expect two midfield additions

The scale of City’s remaining midfield business also became clearer.

Ben Jacobs reports that two midfielders are expected to arrive before the window closes, with six players among the options being considered.

They are Ayyoub Bouaddi, Enzo Fernandez, Adam Wharton, Alexis Mac Allister, Manu Koné and Alex Scott.

Some are clearly more attainable than others. Liverpool have no intention of losing Mac Allister this late in the window, Bournemouth insist Scott is not for sale, and Chelsea have placed a £120m valuation on Fernandez.

City, though, appear determined to add numbers after losing Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders.

Bouaddi waits for medical green light

Of those six names, Ayyoub Bouaddi remains the closest to becoming a City player.

Fabrizio Romano reports that another round of talks with Lille is scheduled as the clubs attempt to complete the deal.

The 18-year-old is now said to be waiting for permission to travel for his medical, with negotiations described as being in their final stages.

City have been working on the deal for several weeks, but Thursday’s update suggests it is now approaching its conclusion.

Manu Koné added to the list

Bouaddi may not be the only midfielder arriving.

Roma’s Manu Koné has emerged as another option, with Jack Gaughan reporting that City have identified the France international as a target.

The Guardian has also reported City’s interest and placed Koné’s valuation at around £50m.

At this stage there has been no suggestion of an agreement or advanced negotiations, but Koné gives City another credible option as they assess where the second midfield addition could come from.

Nico Gonzalez wants to stay

One midfielder who does not appear ready to give up his place is Nico Gonzalez.

The Spaniard remains convinced he can be an important player for City and wants the opportunity to show his best form under Enzo Maresca.

City, however, are reportedly open to doing business with Newcastle.

That creates a tricky situation. City are already short of established midfielders following the departures of Rodri and Reijnders, yet could still sanction another exit while attempting to bring two replacements through the door.

No agreement with Newcastle has been reported, and Gonzalez’s preference appears clear: he wants to stay and fight for his place.

Allan emerges as possible Savinho replacement

City are also looking at what comes next if Savinho completes his move to Tottenham.

Palmeiras winger Allan has emerged as one option.

The 22-year-old Brazilian has attracted Premier League interest already this summer, with Palmeiras rejecting a sizeable approach from Aston Villa.

Reports now suggest City have moved forward with their own plans for Allan Elias, with the interest linked directly to the prospect of Savinho leaving.

There is no indication yet that a deal is close, but City’s interest suggests they are prepared to replace Savinho rather than simply reducing the number of wide players in Maresca’s squad.

How much can City actually spend?

All of that transfer activity raises an obvious question: how much room do City have under football’s new financial rules?

Our new Squad Cost Ratio tracker takes a detailed look at the numbers.

Independent PSRwatch modelling currently estimates City’s Premier League SCR at around 85.7%, fractionally above the league’s 85% green threshold but comfortably below the 115% red line.

For City, there is another consideration, with clubs competing in UEFA competitions also subject to UEFA’s stricter 70% squad-cost rule.

Player sales are particularly important. A major Savinho sale, for example, could generate a substantial accounting profit while also removing his wages and future amortisation from City’s squad costs.

The tracker also explains why headline net spend does not tell the whole story — and why City’s huge revenue base remains such an important part of their ability to rebuild.

What it all adds up to

Thursday’s developments point towards a City squad that could still look significantly different by the time the window closes.

Savinho is moving closer to Tottenham. Bouaddi appears close to arriving. A second midfielder is expected, while Gonzalez could yet leave and City are already considering another Brazilian winger to replace Savinho.

There are plenty of individual negotiations still to resolve, but the broader direction is becoming clearer.

Maresca’s first major summer rebuild is not winding down yet.

If anything, the final stages may prove the busiest part of it.