Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has reportedly given his seal of approval to Jack Grealish amid a possible move to the Etihad for the Aston Villa man.
Grealish - linked with a move to City's arch-rivals Manchester United in the summer - has been integral to Villa's stellar start to the campaign and already boasts four goals and six assists from eight Premier League matches this term.
The 25-year-old has also impressed at international level and turned out for England against De Bruyne in their Nations League defeat to Belgium, and the City playmaker reportedly liked what he saw.
According to The Independent, Pep Guardiola is focused on City's transfer business after committing his future to the four-time Premier League champions, and the Spaniard picked De Bruyne's brains over Grealish.
The report claims that City are now prepared to swoop for Grealish following conversations between De Bruyne and Guardiola, although having penned a new deal at Villa Park until 2025 over the summer, it would supposedly take a bid in excess of £100m to convince Dean Smith's side to sell.
However, with a move for Lionel Messi believed to be dead in the water, it appears that City are certainly willing to focus all their efforts on a deal for Grealish, and the Citizens would have the financial muscle to pull off a transfer.
Ben Knapton
