Manchester City are set for a busy final day of the summer transfer window, with the market closing tomorrow at 11pm. The club are still expected to do business up to the late stages, with Cody Gakpo, Enzo Fernandez and Jack Grealish all key figures in their plans.
Gakpo and Allan Incoming
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has emerged as a key target for the Blues. Following Omar Marmoush's departure, reinforcements in attack are needed to strengthen the squad. Palmeiras' Allan Elias is set to join City to replace Savinho.
City's main focus is likely to be on incomings. Allan is set to sign but the Blues still want another forward, with Liverpool's Gakpo on their radar.
Fernandez Deal Close
City are set for crunch talks with Chelsea as they look to complete their biggest deal of the transfer window. The Blues have already smashed their club record to bring in Elliot Anderson for £116m but will almost certainly have to go higher to sign Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez's future at Chelsea has been uncertain all summer but the West London club have been reluctant sellers. An unofficial deadline was put in place before the start of the season where interested parties were told they must offer £120m or the player would not be leaving Stamford Bridge. That has been and gone but City never lost confidence that Chelsea would be open to business for the right price and have been encouraged that agreeing terms with the player will not be an issue.
Fernandez was once again left out of the Chelsea squad to face Brighton on Sunday. He is on City's radar to complete their midfield rebuild. Fernandez starred under Enzo Maresca at Chelsea and is keen to reunite with his former boss, who in turn needs another experienced midfielder he can count on after seeing Bernardo Silva and Rodri depart the Etihad this summer.
Grealish Exit Looms
The most likely City exit is Jack Grealish. Both Everton and Sunderland have been linked with the winger in recent days. Grealish was not in the squad that won 4-1 at Crystal Palace on Friday.
Grealish appears close to leaving Manchester City again after being left out of the squad to take on Crystal Palace. Having come on as a second-half substitute in the Community Shield against Arsenal and the Premier League opener against Bournemouth, Grealish did not travel to Selhurst Park with the City squad amid transfer interest from Everton and Aston Villa.
City have not expected to keep Grealish for the season but he is still under contract and there have been no agreements with other clubs as the deadline closes in. Enzo Maresca has said since he took over that it is his duty to coach Grealish while he remains a City player and it is still a possibility that he stays at the Etihad.
However, Maresca spoke to Grealish on Thursday when it was decided that he would not be part of the matchday squad for the Palace game as the possibility for him to leave - likely to be on loan again - rises again. "We'll see what happens in the next 48-72 hours," the manager said when asked about it afterwards.
Everton's Iliman Ndiaye is also thought to be on City's radar and Grealish could be used as a makeweight to complete the deal. The transfer window closes at 11pm tomorrow, with deals still to be done before the market shuts until January.
