Man City 'ready to go head to head' with Liverpool for Chelsea star and more transfer rumours

Manchester City have identified Chelsea defender Levi Colwill as a top target ahead of the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The left-footed centre-back is currently on loan at Brighton and Hove Albion - who are also thought to be keen to keep the player permanently should his parent club choose to sell. The Evening Standard reports Colwill is also attracting interest from Liverpool, but City could look at the defender should a sale of Aymeric Laporte be sanctioned at the end of this season.

Following Colwill's progress on the south coast this season, the report adds that Chelsea are keen to enter contract talks with the defender in hope of persuading him to remain at Stamford Bridge. However, it is also claimed that "there is a feeling" Chelsea will have to part ways with a number of homegrown stars in the summer in order to avoid breaching Financial Fair Play rules, which could open the door to a summer move for Colwill.

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Elsewhere, Spanish publication SPORT reports that the signing of Ilkay Gundogan by Barcelona is already practically complete. The City captain is set to become a free agent at the end of this season and is therefore allowed to enter talks with overseas clubs about a pre-contract agreement.

An offer of €12 million per year for two seasons plus a potential third is said to be on the table at Camp Nou with Barca director Mateu Alemany and sporting advisor Jordi Cruyff rumoured to have been working on the deal "for months".

It is claimed that the Barcelona duo met with Ilkay Gundogan's dad Ihan this week and a move is now said to be "very close to being closed". Ihan Gundogan also represents Andreas Christensen, who