Manchester City Close on £8m Delph Signing

Manchester City are closing in on the £8m signing of Aston Villa and England midfielder Fabian Delph, according to ​Goal.

Delph is set to become the Premier League runners-up's first recruit of the summer on a long-term contract worth £100,000 a week, the report claims.

City are keen to boost their quota of homegrown players following the departures of James Milner, Frank Lampard, Micah Richards, Scott Sinclair, Dedryck Boyata and John Guidetti this summer, but have been left frustrated in their attempts to lure Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling to the Etihad Stadium.Goal understands that despite only being offered squad player status by City, Delph will be afforded a similar level of first-team opportunities as Milner, a former Villa player himself, last term.

Delph, who like Milner also began his career at Leeds United, only agreed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with Villa in January, but the deal is thought to have included an £8m get-out clause which City are believed to have triggered.

Villa appear to have wasted no time in securing a replacement for the 25-year-old, with a £9m deal for Lille's Idrissa Gueye said to be close.

The Villains are also reported to have offered £7m for Anderlecht youngster Denis Praet with manager Tim Sherwood, who lost out on the permanent signing of Tom Cleverley to Everton, seeking further reinforcements.

It is unclear whether the signing of Delph, who has six England caps, will put paid to City's interest in Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, who is the subject of a reported £71m bid from the Blues, but has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona instead