Manchester City have made a world-class striker one of their top priorities in this summer's transfer window with Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema on the club's radar, sources have told ESPN FC.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said earlier this month that the club were planning to heavily invest in new players this summer as they look to improve the squad ahead of next season.

City are prepared to pay £50 million for Liverpool attacker Raheem Sterling while Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has also been linked, but sources have told ESPN FC that City are also targeting a top striker to play alongside Sergio Aguero.

The club already brought in Wilfried Bony from Swansea in January, but they are expected to offload Stevan Jovetic after an injury-hit two-year spell while doubts remain over Edin Dzeko, despite the Bosnia international's agent recently saying he was almost certain to stay.

If Jovetic and Dzeko were to move on, the departure of two non-homegrown players would enable them to go out and recruit foreign talent, and City are no longer under the stringent financial fair play restrictions that prevented substantial investment last year.

Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, who played together at Real Madrid, are on City's radar. PA Photos

Higuain is one option for City, with his future uncertain after Napoli failed to qualify for the Champions League next season, although the Italian club's president has said the Argentine will only be sold if a "crazy offer" is made.

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema is also a long-term target for City, with the Frenchman being linked with a move away from the Bernabeu this summer following Rafa Benitez's arrival in the Spanish capital.

Manchester United and Arsenal are also monitoring Benzema, but the player's agent recently said he would only leave if Madrid informed him he was surplus to requirements.