Manchester City have now opened talks to sign a £42m attacking midfielder who's "one of the best" number 10's in the world, according to a report.
Man City making progress in Rayan Cherki pursuit
Man City have set their sights on a new attacking midfielder this summer, following the departure of Kevin De Bruyne, and their pursuit of Lyon star Rayan Cherki is progressing nicely, with Fabrizio Romano recently dropping an exciting update.
The deal to sign Cherki is now thought to be close, with Lyon expected to ask for a fee of £35m, and the attacking midfielder cannot wait to make the move to the Etihad Stadium.
However, the move isn't over the line just yet, which means Pep Guardiola's side are still considering other potential targets, and they have now opened talks over a deal for RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons.
xavi-simons-rb-leipzig-celebrate
That is according to a report from L'Equipe, which states Simons has been identified as a back-up option for Cherki, should the deal for the 21-year-old fall through, with the Dutchman now expected to leave the German club this summer.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Rayan Ait-Nouri Related
[Alongside Ait-Nouri: Man City want "world-class" £67m full-back on the other side](https://www.footballfancast.com/man-city-now-want-to-sign-andrea-cambiaso-ait-nouri-update/ "Alongside Ait-Nouri: Man City want "world-class" £67m full-back on the other side")
The Blues are keen on bringing in another full-back this summer, despite the fact the deal for Rayan Ait-Nouri is now advancing.
After arriving at Leipzig from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of €50m (£42m), the attacking midfielder's time with the Bundesliga side appears to be coming to an end, and there is no shortage of interest, with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal also keen.
Simons could be among the world's best no.10s
Replacing De Bruyne was always going to be a difficult task, with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak recently stating he believes the Belgian is the best player ever to wear the City shirt: "What Kevin has given to this club, in my view, he is the greatest player to play for this club. I think his accomplishments speak for themselves."
In truth, it will be very difficult for any player to replicate the 33-year-old's achievements, but there are some signs the RB Leipzig star could be on a similar level, having been singled out for very high praise by one scout back in January.
That said, the Blues making a move for Simons appears to be contingent on the Cherki deal falling through, and they should also be extremely happy if they secure the Frenchman's signature, given his goal and assist return this season.
Cherki's season Appearances Goals Assists
Ligue 1 30 8 11
Europa League 12 4 8
Coupe de France 2 0 1