City have signed 20-year-old Argentine Bruno Zuculini from Racing Club.
Mega-rich Premier League side Manchester City are understood to have drawn up a three-man short list to replace holding midfielder Javi Garcia, with the Spaniard expected to depart Eastlands come the end of the season, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
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The Spain international has been in the north west now since first arriving at City from Portuguese giants Benfica in August 2012 on a five-year deal for a fee of £15.8m.
However, the 27-year-old has found it desperately hard to win a regular starting berth in the club’s midfield in the intervening 18 months, with Garcia very nearly leaving City to join Serie A outfit Napoli on a six-month loan deal in the recent January transfer window.
And the players that City are believed to be scouting to take over from Garcia next season are Porto’s Fernando, Blaise Matuidi of Paris Saint-Germain and Southampton’s Victor Wanyama.
However, of that trio Brazil-born Fernando recently agreed a contract extension with the Portuguese champions, France international Matuidi has been offered a new deal by the Ligue 1 champions, although the defensive midfielder is believed to be waiting to hear from City or Arsenal before he agrees to sign the contract.
Meanwhile, City did run their eye over Wanyama last summer, before the giant Kenyan eventually joined Southampton instead.