LONDON • Manchester City are still attempting to sign Kingsley Coman this summer despite the winger completing a permanent transfer from Juventus to Bayern Munich last week.
The France international had spent the past two years on loan at Bayern and, although he was a peripheral figure under Carlo Ancelotti this season, the German club opted to activate an option to sign him for £18 million (S$32.42 million).
His immediate future is far from certain, however, with City hopeful that they can capitalise on Ancelotti's apparent indifference and the 20-year-old's strong relationship with Pep Guardiola to bring him to the Etihad Stadium this summer.
Club officials are understood to have held talks with Coman's representatives last week and been assured that a deal is possible, with City forming the view that the German champion's decision to sign the player was largely in the hope of generating a significant profit.
Expecting Bayern to trigger the option, City did not begin negotiations with Juventus and are resigned to paying between £40 million and £50 million for him.
Guardiola made him a regular in his starting line-up during the Spaniard's final season at the Allianz Arena and he played in six of France's seven matches as the host nation reached the final of last year's European Championship.
Ancelotti has said that he wants Coman to stay at Bayern but has given him few opportunities, with the Paris-born player starting just nine league matches and none in the Champions League this season.
City are expecting a busy summer in the transfer market, with a centre forward, two full-backs and a central midfielder all on Guardiola's wish list.
English Premier League runaway leaders Chelsea are also targeting a high-profile signing in Everton's Romelu Lukaku.
The striker chatted with Chelsea's technical director Michael Emenalo in the aftermath of Everton's defeat by the Blues.
The two men were seen deep in discussion in the tunnel at Goodison Park before parting with an embrace following a 3-0 victory for Antonio Conte's side.
Emenalo was behind Lukaku's move to Chelsea from Anderlecht in 2011 and wants to re-sign the 23-year-old Belgium international as part of a recruitment drive for the champions-elect.
Lukaku's Everton contract expires in 2019 and he has refused to sign a new £140,000-a-week extension.
He is keen to return to the capital, having left Chelsea in search of regular first-team football.
Everton have placed a £100 million price tag on the forward and major shareholder Farhad Moshiri blocked Chelsea's interest in the player last summer.
Emenalo is pushing for the forward to re-join the club with Diego Costa's long-term future still uncertain.
THE TIMES, LONDON
