Roberto Mancini is desperate to sign Uruguay centre-half Sebastian Coates, according to The People.
The City boss is a huge admirer of the Nacional defender and the Italian has urged his board to hand him another £6m to sign the youngster.
If the proposed £25m deal for Arsenals Samir Nasri does go through, Coates acquisition would take the Blues summer spending to £76m.
But Mancini is hoping to offload fringe players like Wayne Bridge, Nedum Onuoha and Shaun Wright-Phillips to free up space for Coates.
The 20-year-old was voted Young Player of the Tournament last month when he helped Uruguay win the Copa America and reported suitors include Arsenal, Liverpool, Porto and Sao Paulo.
If a deal can’t be done by the end of this month, Mancini is certain to resurrect his interest in the young South American when the transfer window re-opens in January.
Coates is an elegant and quick defender, comfortable with possession and capable of bringing the ball out from defence.
He missed out on his country's World Cup squad in South Africa last summer and his inexperience at senior international level could provide an obstacle in obtaining a work permit, although he does have Spanish and British ancestry.
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