Man City make £47m breakthrough in Matheus Nunes transfer talks

Manchester City have moved a step closer to signing Matheus Nunes after reaching a verbal agreement with Wolves for the midfielder.

City saw an offer for Nunes rejected last week and returned with a £47million bid that has now been verbally accepted. Pep Guardiola and City wanted another body in midfield after losing Kevin De Bruyne to injury until the new year.

Nunes has not been training at Wolves since the first City bid, with Gary O'Neil explaining that it was club policy to make him unavailable for their last two fixtures. O'Neil had said he expected Nunes to remain at Molineux, but City's latest bid should see him join the European champions before Friday's transfer deadline.

The deal will not include any add-ons and must now be formally agreed with Wolves before personal terms and a medical can be arranged.

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As part of the deal, youngster Tommy Doyle will head the other way on loan with an option to buy for £5m. There would also be a significant sell-on clause if Doyle moved to Molineux permanently. Wolves will pay all of Doyle's salary for the duration of the loan.

The Doyle loan will be separate from the Nunes agreement and has no bearing on that transfer.

Doyle has seven first-team appearances for City but has spent the last two seasons out on loan - first at Hamburg, then in the Championship with Cardiff and Sheffield United, where he shone in the second tier.

The 21-year-old, grandson of City legends Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe, will move to Molineux after coming through the ranks at the City Football Academy.

Nunes, 25, joined Wolves 12 months ago for £42m from Sporting, with Guardiola praising him when City faced the