Manchester City are now "really close" to completing a deal for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
What's the latest Man City transfer news?
With Ilkay Gundogan's depature to Barcelona now confirmed, Pep Guardiola has set his sights on a number of new midfielders, including West Ham United's Declan Rice, however Man City's opening offer of £90m was immediately knocked back.
Arsenal are also in the race for Rice's signature, and if City do end up missing out, there are some other options on the table, including Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, who they submitted an enquiry about earlier this month.
The Sky Blues' deal for Kovacic has been in the works for some time, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reporting a £30m deal had been agreed last week, and Sheth has now offered an exciting update about when the move could be completed.
In an interview with GiveMeSport, the Sky Sports reporter claimed he does not expect finalising a contract agreement with the Croatian to be an issue, with the deal set to be completed in the near future, saying:
"Just as you see big-name players like Gundogan leaving and going to Barcelona, City are already looking to the future, aren't they?
Kovacic is as good as a done deal and it's all agreed for £30 million. We think it's £25 million of guaranteed payment plus £5 million in add-ons. Personal terms are not expected to be a problem and it should be formally announced in the coming days, as that one is really, really close.”
Will Mateo Kovacic improve Man City?
With Gundogan playing a big part in Man City's historic treble last season, scoring 11 goals in all competitions, including a brace in the FA Cup final, Guardiola will be very disappointed to lose the German, but Kovacic could go some way to filling the void.
The Croatia international is very experienced, making 95 appearances for his country, and he has established himself as a key player for Chelsea, making a minimum of 25 Premier League outings in every season since he arrived at the club.
Hailed as "fantastic" by members of the media, there is every indication the 29-year-old would slot in well at Man City, particularly considering his passing ability, ranking in the 92nd percentile for passes attempted per 90 over the past year.
The only thing the Linz-born midfielder needs to improve is his attacking output, having found the back of the net just twice in all competitions last season.
