Manchester City are ramping up their pursuit of Tijjani Reijnders before jetting off to the Club World Cup.
Reijnders, the AC Milan midfielder, is expected to command a fee of more than £55million this summer after a stellar season in Serie A.
The Netherlands international has 15 goals in all competitions this term and was voted midfielder of the year over the weekend.
Milan fans have protested against the club's disappointing campaign and the potential sale of Reijnders.
Pep Guardiola wants to bolster that area of the pitch but has been stressing that while he's offered opinions on altering the squad, the club will take the ultimate decisions.
Hugo Viana is taking over as director of football from Txiki Begiristain, while City hope Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White – called up to Thomas Tuchel's latest England squad - will also join them.
Guardiola suggested that an influx of new faces is unlikely but City are thought to want at least one full back - Rayan Ait-Nouri at Wolves has long been admired - as well as a couple of midfielders.
The futures of the likes of Ederson and Matheus Nunes are up in the air, while Guardiola confirmed that Jack Grealish could leave, with outgoings likely to have an impact on supplementary business.
'I don't have any doubts that with Rodri there and Phil (Foden) there, we would have competed (this year),' Guardiola said after they secured Champions League qualification.
'I'm not saying we would have won because Liverpool deserved to win, but we would have been better. What happens next season the club is going to decide.
'I give my suggestions but the club will decide. That is not the most important thing, the most important thing is how we create our connection and vibes between all of us to go and compete everywhere.
'We will be better and I will try. We will be closer. This season we have done 71 points - miles away from our standards in the past.'