Blues forced back to the drawing board over Brazilian winger
Manchester City's late-summer business has taken its first twist, with Palmeiras rejecting the club's opening verbal approach for winger Allan Elias.
The 22-year-old has emerged as a priority target for sporting director Hugo Viana and his recruitment staff, with personal terms already agreed. But the São Paulo side have made clear they will not entertain anything short of a serious offer.
City's initial proposal, understood to be in the region of €25 million plus €5 million in bonuses, was never likely to move the needle. Palmeiras have insisted they have no interest in selling unless they receive an 'exceptional' offer, and sources indicate they will not negotiate for anything less than €40 million.
That gap is significant, though not insurmountable. City remain 'very interested' and are preparing a fresh bid with higher figures and performance-related clauses, with the new approach expected 'in the coming hours'.
The wider picture is one of a squad in transition. Rodri has departed for Barcelona, Tijjani Reijnders has moved to Al Qadsiah, and Nico Gonzalez's future remains uncertain amid interest from Newcastle. Savinho, meanwhile, is closing in on an £85 million package to Tottenham — a club who also retain an interest in Omar Marmoush.
Allan is currently the only publicly known target for the wide roles, with City having cooled their interest in Chelsea's Pedro Neto, whose £100 million valuation at Stamford Bridge appears to have priced him out of a move. Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku offer versatility across both flanks, while Academy prospect Ryan McAidoo is another option Maresca believes is ready for regular first-team football this season.
Whether Allan's release clause — set at €100 million — proves a stumbling block or simply a starting point for negotiations remains to be seen. For now, the ball is in City's court.