Manchester City are readying a late move for Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, whose £50m release clause becomes active in July, according to a report from Football Insider.
Are Man City signing a centre-back?
With Ilkay Gundogan on his way to La Liga champions Barcelona, one of Pep Guardiola's main priorities is likely to be a replacement for his captain, and West Ham United's Declan Rice has recently emerged as a key target.
However, Man City have also been linked with moves for a number of centre-backs, including RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol, with a recent report indicating the Croatian has fully agreed personal terms.
If the Sky Blues miss out on Gvardiol, The Athletic reports they could turn their attentions to Villarreal's Pau Torres, who has been on their list of targets for quite some time, though West Ham United and Aston Villa have also registered their interest.
Another potential option for City is Kim, with Football Insider reporting they are readying a late move for the Napoli defender, who has a £50m release clause included in his contract, which is set to become active this July.
However, there is likely to be huge competition for the South Korean's signature, with Bayern Munich currently said to be in pole position, while he is also a target for rivals Manchester United.
Despite his side securing a historic treble last season, Pep Guardiola is keen to improve his squad even further this summer, and a top centre-back is of particular interest, meaning Aymeric Laporte's time at the club is likely to come to an end.
Who will Kim Min-jae sign for?
At the moment, it appears likely the 26-year-old will be on his way to Bayern Munich, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg detailing the German club want to finalise a deal in the next few days.
However, if Man City were to make a late swoop for the centre-back, it would certainly give him a lot to think about, given that a move to the Etihad Stadium is likely to provide him with a great chance of competing for the top prizes.
If City do manage to win the race for Kim, they could have a top player on their hands, considering he has been lauded as "extraordinary" by teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who also branded him "one of the best in the world".
The South Korea international could be an ideal fit for a Guardiola side, given his very impressive distribution, ranking in the 90th percentile for his pass completion rate per 90, and in the 97th percentile for passes attempted over the past year.
That said, a move for Gvardiol appears to be much more plausible at present, with journalist Rudy Galetti claiming City are "on the verge" of agreeing a long-term contract with the defender.