Manchester City move for Alan Elias gathers pace as forward options change

Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign Palmeiras forward Alan Elias in a deal worth €40m, according to The Athletic.

The proposed transfer would see City pay €37.5m upfront, with a further €2.5m available in performance-related add-ons. The final length of Elias’ contract has not yet been agreed.

The move comes as Manchester City reshape their attacking options this summer. The club have agreed to sell winger Savinho to Tottenham Hotspur, who will pay an initial £75m for the Brazil international, with a further £10m potentially due in bonuses.

The Athletic also reports that Tottenham are making progress in talks to sign Omar Marmoush, Savinho’s Manchester City team-mate.

City had identified Elias as one of several attacking targets, with The Athletic first reporting on 20 August that the English club were interested in the Palmeiras player. At that stage, Palmeiras had maintained that Elias was not for sale.

Sources familiar with the Brazilian club’s position had previously indicated that the 22-year-old’s contract contained a €100m release clause. However, City have now moved closer to securing his services for a fee significantly below that figure, subject to the remaining contractual details being settled.

Elias would become Manchester City’s third signing of the summer transfer window. The club have already brought in Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m, while 17-year-old Jeremy Monga has also joined from Leicester City.

The Manchester City deal for Elias is being pursued alongside further transfer activity involving Enzo Maresca’s side. His team are preparing to complete an agreement for 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi after reaching a €95m deal with Lille.

Elias came through the Palmeiras academy before making his senior debut for the Brazilian club in January 2025. Since then, he has made 96 appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists.

The forward’s potential arrival would give Manchester City another option in attack at a time when the club are preparing for Savinho’s departure and facing the possibility of Marmoush also leaving. Tottenham’s proposed deals for both players are part of a wider period of movement between the clubs.

For Palmeiras, the agreement would represent the departure of a player who had progressed through the club’s youth system and established himself in the first team during 2025. For City, Elias is expected to form part of a summer rebuild that has already included major investment in both youth and senior players.

Further discussions are required before the transfer can be formally completed, including agreement over the duration of Elias’ contract.

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