City Football Group (CFG) is considering signing Liverpool Montevideo star Luciano Rodríguez, sources have told ESPN.
Manchester City's ownership group could offer the Uruguayan club €15 million ($16.3 million) for the transfer and a source told ESPN they would be willing to pay an additional €3 million to the 20-year-old striker to complete the deal.
However, the agreement is complicated by the fact that Liverpool Montevideo controls 80% of his services and the remaining 20% belongs to the player.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)
Rodríguez was linked with Feyenoord and River Plate a few months ago and is in Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguayan team for the upcoming match against the Ivory Coast, although he is yet to make his senior team debut.
CFG has been following Rodríguez for a long time and, according to sources, could follow the same path to sign other world football talents such as Julián Álvarez or Claudio Echeverri, who is still on loan at River despite being owned by City.
In the event that Rodríguez ends up signing for the City Group, sources say the plan would be for him to be loaned out to one of the group's smaller clubs, such as Girona, before finally signing for Premier League side Man City.
Girona has been a revelation in LaLiga this season and could be a good first landing spot for Rodríguez in Europe, especially if they qualify for the Champions League next season.
Sávio, who is proving to be one of Girona's stars, is an example of this policy. The Brazilian international was signed by City Group and, after playing for Troyes in France and now Girona, he could end up at City in the near future. Sources have told ESPN that the reigning English champions are monitoring his progress.
Reporting from ESPN's Rob Dawson contributed to this report.
