Manchester City working on Kalvin Phillips and Marc Cucurella deals

Manchester City are in talks for Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips and Brighton defender Marc Cucurella and are hoping to finalise deals for both players in the coming weeks, 90min understands.

Sources have confirmed to 90min that City have completed their background work on both Phillips and Cucurella - who have emerged as their top targets to bolster their midfield and defence, after deals for forward duo Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez were finalised earlier this summer.

90min revealed at the start of June that City were preparing to bid for defensive midfielder Phillips, and talks are now ongoing with Leeds - who are prepared to part company with their star midfielder - over a deal worth around £50m.

The 26-year-old does have interest from a number of other Premier League clubs, with Newcastle United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Aston Villa and Manchester United among those to have tracked him over the past year, but City have emerged as the favourites to land Phillips after manager Pep Guardiola green-lighted the deal.

The Spaniard is looking for reinforcements in central midfield after the departure of long-serving captain Fernandinho, while Ilkay Gundogan's long-term future appears to lie away from the Etihad Stadium.

Phillips was part of a Leeds side who narrowly escaped relegation last year, but he has impressed hugely on the international stage with England despite recent injury struggles and is one of the standout players at Elland Road.

Listen now to 90min's brand new podcast, Talking Transfers, with Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth. On their most packed show to date, the guys discuss Sadio Mane's valuation as Liverpool win the race for Darwin Nunez, how Marc Roca joining Leeds could allow Kalvin Phillips to depart for long-time admirers Manchester City, the latest on Manchester United’s pursuits of Frenkie de Jong & Antony and much more.

As well as given his blessing to pursue Phillips, Guardiola has also sanctioned the pursuit of Brighton left-back Cucurella, who will again set City back in the region of £50m.

Cucurella joined Brighton from Getafe last summer in a £15m deal and he excelled, not only at left wing-back but also in central defence. He is viewed as the ideal player to cover the left side of City's defence, with Guardiola ready to allow Nathan Ake and possibly Oleksandr Zinchenko to depart this summer.

90min understands that City have other options but are actively working on bringing both Phillips and Cucurella to the club.