MANCHESTER CITY CLOSE IN ON JOVETIC

Manchester City are set to take their summer spending to over €104 million after moving closer to securing both Fiorentina attacker Stevan Jovetic and Sevilla forward Alvaro Negredo.

Sporting director Txiki Begiristain has not travelled with the squad on their pre-season tour of South Africa as he looks to tie up deals for the pair, who emerged as top targets in recent weeks after missing out on Isco to Real Madrid and Edinson Cavani, who is close to joining Paris Saint-Germain.

City officials met with Jovetic's agent, Fali Ramadani, at Mottram Hall in Cheshire on Wednesday, with both parties keen to discuss a deal to bring the 23-year-old to the Etihad Stadium this summer.

The Premier League runners-up no longer have first option on the Montenegro international following the sacking of Roberto Mancini in May, but have maintained their long-standing interest in the attacker, who they see as a viable alternative to Isco.

Goal understands that Jovetic would receive an €92,000-a-week salary package at City, and club officials are confident of tying up a move in the coming days with Fiorentina happy to maintain their close links to City, harboured following Stefan Savic's move to Serie A last summer.

Meanwhile, City have also received the green light to complete a €23m move for Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo after the Spanish side confirmed the signing of Carlos Bacca from Club Brugge.

Colombian Bacca has been brought in by Sevilla chief Monchi as a replacement to Negredo, who will see his salary doubled to €87,000-a-week in Manchester.
Sevilla and City have maintained a strong relationship following Jesus Navas' €21m move to the Etihad earlier this summer, and the Premier League outfit have agreed to meet the Spanish outfit's asking price.

Negredo emerged as City's key striker target after the club refused to meet Cavani's €63 million buyout clause at Napoli and baulked at his €290,000-a-week salary demands. The Uruguayan is close to completing a move to the French capital following discussions over his personal terms.

Jovetic and Negredo would be City's third and fourth major signings of the summer re,spectively, with Navas and Fernandinho having already been secured in June prior to Pellegrini's appointment.