Manchester City source reveals club held ‘informal discussions’ over big-money Premier League transfer last week

‘Informal discussions’ are said to have been held by Manchester City over a potential big-money signing from within the Premier League, a new report has revealed.

Officials from within the Premier League champions have long been linked with a big-money move this summer, and particularly in the central midfield department amid transfer uncertainty related to two of their first-team stars.

Ultimately however, both Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva appear set to stay at Manchester City for the forthcoming season, despite watching briefs and low-level advances having been made by Saudi Arabia for the Belgian playmaker in particular.

There remains some concern in quarters that Manchester City still require additional cover in the centre of the pitch, both in terms of support for defensive midfield mainstay Rodrigo, and in light of Julian Alvarez’s departure for Atletico Madrid.

That has drawn the Etihad club to a number of options this summer, but mostly from within the Premier League, with admiration in a number of profiles including Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes.

But now, according to the information of The Athletic’s Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee, there have been ‘some informal discussions’ about Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze towards the end of last week.

However, the report points out that their sources, who are ‘kept anonymous to protect relationships’, have indicated that Manchester City are simply ‘casting their net far and wide’ as they consider bringing in a new face in the remaining weeks of the summer market.

Links to Eberechi Eze have been long-standing at the Etihad Stadium, with Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City colleagues considering making a move for the England international during the summer transfer window of 2023.

Having represented the Three Lions at the summer’s European Championships in Germany, and fresh off the back of another stellar individual season at Selhurst Park, Eberechi Eze is likely to command a significant transfer fee.

That is before taking into account the fact that Palace have already sanctioned the sale of Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, and are the subject of intense interest and a trio of bids from Newcastle United for Marc Guehi at present.