Manchester City are working on a deal that could bring midfielder Ilkay Gundogan back to the club.
The 33-year-old left City for Barcelona in 2023 after captaining Pep Guardiola's side to their historic Treble.
However, the Catalan giants' well publicised financial issues have prevented them from registering new signing Dani Olmo and releasing one of their higher earners would smooth that process.
City are wrestling with early personnel issues that include the £81m departure of Argentina forward Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid and an injury to Norwegian winger Oscar Bobb that could keep him out for four months.