Manchester City appeared to be continuing their ambitious summer acquisition programme last night, with Benfica's Argentinian right winger Eduardo Salvio the subject of a €30m (£25.8m) bid from the club, according to several respected sources in Portugal.

City have not yet responded to enquiries about the bid but Benfica are already understood to have begun the task of replacing the 23-year-old. The Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira Ferreira is understood to be asking €40m (£34.4m) though a compromise would appear likely.

City, who this week secured the signature of Alvaro Negredo from Sevilla for around £16m, with £4m add-ons, are also close to securing Stevan Jovetic for £22.4m plus add-ons.

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Salvio is a similar player to Jesús Navas, the winger, who completed a £17m move, rising to £21.5m in add-ons, from Sevilla to City last month. A pure right winger, he is known for mixing defensive duties with an ability to score 15 goals a season. He played every game last season for Benfica.

New manager Manuel Pellegrini left City’s South African training camp to spend a few days back home in Chile yesterday. The 59-year-old unexpectedly took a flight out of Durban early this morning, with a personal issue to attend to in Santiago. It meant assistant boss Brian Kidd will be in charge when City took on Amazulu in Durban last night.

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