Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Tottenham striker Harry Kane is a player in his thoughts, as more transfer business is planned at Manchester City, but no deal is close for the England captain.
The reigning Premier League champions have broken the British transfer record to lure Jack Grealish away from Aston Villa in a £100 million ($139m) deal.
That bar could be raised again if Kane can be prised from Spurs' clutches, with another nine-figure fee set to be required there, and Guardiola is ready to enter into talks if an exit door is thrown open in north London.
What has been said?
Quizzed on his interest in Kane, who is yet to return to pre-season training in north London, Guardiola told reporters: "He's a player for Tottenham Hotspur. If Tottenham don't want to negotiate, it's finished.
"If they are open to negotiate, I think not just Man City but many clubs in the world want to sign him - we are not an exception - but it depends on Tottenham.
"It's different from Jack. He had a release clause and he is different.
"Harry Kane is an exceptional, extraordinary striker - no doubts about that, of course we are interested - but he is a Tottenham player and if they don't want to negotiate there is nothing more to say. If they want to, we will try."
Why did Man City sign Grealish?
Guardiola has been quick to distance himself from reports of a move being made for Lionel Messi, with the six-time Ballon d'Or winner severing ties with La Liga giants Barcelona.
He has already added another creative influence to his ranks, with considerable funds and faith being invested in 25-year-old midfielder Grealish.
Explaining that deal, Guardiola said: "When we spend this amount of money it is because we sell [players] for almost £60m. We were not able in the last year or so but we sell young players from the academy and loan players for £60m. When you sell that, you can afford £100m. Otherwise, it would not have been possible.
"That's why we spend on him because he's 25 years old, he can play the next five, six, seven, eight years here and we believe we have an incredibly huge talent in terms of not just skills but mentality.
"When a team in the last years won a lot - which we cannot deny we have - we need new players. Not much but a few players that can rise to the level of players already here.
"The new players can fight with the players who stay here for a long time, otherwise after a lot of titles it is difficult to maintain a step forward. Every player needs to have the pressure that maybe they are not going to play.
"I say thank you so much to the club and thank you to Aston Villa and Jack who chose to come here because I'm pretty sure he could decide whatever he wants. He said he wanted to play for Man City and that's why it is an honour to have him and hopefully he can settle as quick as possible."
Will Man City now sanction sales?
Grealish has been added to a pool of talent at City that is already loaded with attacking stars, which means that exits could now be on the cards.
Bernardo Silva is among those to have been linked with a move elsewhere, and Guardiola will not block the path of anyone that wants to take on a new challenge.
Asked about Portuguese star Silva, the City boss said: "He's our player. Not just Bernardo, there are two or three players that want to leave but they are our players and when they bring some offer and they want to leave we are open to discuss it, but it depends on them.
"Otherwise, they will continue training really well, they will stay here and I will decide if they stay or don't stay.
"The players who want to leave know the door is open because we don't want anyone here unsatisfied, but they have to bring someone."
Further reading
- How Man City can afford to sign both Kane and Grealish
- Guardiola can turn Grealish into a Ballon d'Or winner
- The 100 most expensive football transfers of all time