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Manchester City are in advanced negotiations with Barcelona over the transfer of Claudio Bravo, M.E.N. Sport understands.

Pep Guardiola has identified the 33-year-old as his top goalkeeping target after a move for Bravo's Barcelona team-mate Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was blocked.

Bravo has a release clause of €42 million inserted into his contract – but City are expected to negotiate a fee of around half that amount and have already agreed personal terms with the player's representatives.

The deal is yet to be finalised because an injury to Ter Stegen has left Barcelona short of options ahead of their Spanish Super Cup games against Sevilla.

The first leg will be played this evening, with the return game at the Nou Camp scheduled for Wednesday.

Bravo has been Barcelona's No. 1 for the past two seasons, playing 69 La Liga matches in that period and leaving Ter Stegen limited to appearances in cup competitions.

Ideally, Luis Enrique, the Barcelona manager, would have kept both - but Ter Stegen expressed his unhappiness at his bit-part role towards the end of last season and the situation appeared to becoming strained.

However, Ter Stegen is nine years Bravo's junior and club officials have decided he is a more valuable asset and should remain.

The move comes after Joe Hart was left out of City's 2-1 win over Sunderland on the opening day of the Premier League season.

A feeling persists that Hart's lack of ability with the ball at his feet means he isn't suitable for Guardiola's possession-based system.