Manchester City are set to complete the £88m signing of Valencia centre-back Nicolas Otamendi and Wolfsburg attacking midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, according to the Daily Mirror.
Etihad Stadium boss Manuel Pellegrini has seen his side ease to 3-0 wins over West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea, and subsequently sit top of the Premier League. However, this has apparently not stopped the Chilean from looking to strengthen his squad before the window closes.
Pellegrini has seen his side keep back-to-back clean sheets in their opening two Premier League fixtures, with both Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala both looking hugely impressive. Nonetheless, the Daily Mirror believes that City are close to bringing in 27-year-old Argentine international centre-back Otamendi in a £32m deal.
AS, via the Mirror, had previously reported earlier this summer that Louis van Gaal had identified Otamendi as a key transfer target for the Red Devils this summer.
Otamendi is a no-nonsense defender who doesn’t shirk a tackle, and is a player who could certainly challenge Mangala and Kompany for a regular spot in Pellegrini’s starting eleven.
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Kevin De Bruyne failed to win the chance to prove himself at Chelsea, making just two Premier League starts during his time at the Stamford Bridge club, before he was sold to Wolfsburg. However, the 24-year-old has excelled since moving to Germany and his stock has risen dramatically.
Last season, the cultured attacker finished, by some distance, as the leading assist-maker in the Bundesliga, with 20 assists, and also netted 16 goals in all competitions for good measure.
The Daily Mirror claim that Man City expect to bring in De Bruyne, with a £56m fee being paid for the player, which would represent a club-record outlay for the big-spending Premier League side.