Roberto Mancini is thought to be close to acquiring Bolton’s Gary Cahill in exchange for cash plus players.
Cahill is also in the sights of Arsenal but reports suggest that Wanderers manager Owen Coyle is now weighing up the swap options in the Manchester City squad.
While Craig Bellamy and Shaun Wright-Phillips had been mooted, Nedum Onuoha or Dedreyck Boyota - or both - are now said to be the likely candidates.
Bolton have attached a £17m price tag on the England international, who has a year to run on his contract.