Ederson, the Benfica goalkeeper, is expected to undergo a medical at Manchester City today ahead of a proposed £34.7 million move.

The deal will eclipse the £32.6m fee that Juventus paid Parma for Italy No 1 Gianluigi Buffon and will be a world record for a goalkeeper in sterling terms. But the move will not be a world record in euros. Juventus paid €53 million for Buffon where City will be paying Benfica €40m.

Ederson is currently in Manchester and is reported to have had dinner with Txiki Begiristain, City's director of football, on Monday night. But City still have some issues regarding the player's third party ownership to resolve. Ederson's economic rights are owned by Benfica, Rio Ave, his former club, and agent Jorge Mendes's Gestifute agency.

Ederson will almost certainly be marshalling a new look defence at the Etihad next season. Pep Guardiola is chasing two new full-backs and a centre-half and is clearly in no mood to hang around.

The £43.6 m signing of Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva from Monaco last Friday was an immediate statement of intent from Guardiola after an underwhelming debut season in England, when he finished a season trophyless for the first time in his managerial career.