• Defender, 34, agrees contract in principle to link up with former manager • Alves recently described Pep Guardiola as ‘a genius’

Manchester City have approached Juventus over a move for Dani Alves, with Pep Guardiola prepared to offer the Brazil international a two-year contract as he steps up his recruitment drive for next season.

City are searching for defensive options after allowing Bacary Sagna and Gaël Clichy to leave when their contracts expire at the end of this month. A move for Tottenham’s Kyle Walker has failed to reach a breakthrough, with Spurs holding out for a fee in excess of £40m for the England international.

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That has led Guardiola to inquire after Alves, with whom he worked at Barcelona. Juventus have confirmed they could be open to selling a player who especially impressed during the Serie A winners’ run to the Champions League final – notably in the semi-final victory against Monaco, in which he was involved in his side’s first three goals across the tie before scoring the fourth.

Alves still has one year left on his contract and City have been told a bid of around £5m would be sufficient to persuade the Turin club to sell the 34-year-old.

Despite reports in Spain that a deal has already been agreed, it is understood negotiations are continuing but Alves has agreed a contract in principle to link up with his former manager.

Writing on the Players’ Tribune website in the buildup to the Champions League final earlier this month, Alves had high praise for the Catalan, saying: “If you turn the word ‘computer’ backwards, it spells ‘Steve Jobs’. If you turn the word ‘football’ backwards, it spells ‘Pep’. He is a genius. I’ll say it again. A genius.”