Manchester City ready to offer £17m for Brazil international

Manchester City are set to offer Shakhtar Donetsk a sum of £17m in hope of landing midfielder Fernandinho in the summer, according to The Manchester Evening News.

Rumours spread yesterday that a deal had been done in the region of £24m for the 27-year-old and that the transfer had been sealed back in January, but the whispers were proved as untrue soon after.

That's unlike the national papers, isn't it?

Fernandinho was the star of the show when the Ukrainian side met Chelsea in the Champions League group stages this season and scored a deserved winner in Shakhtar's 2-1 victory as they progressed to the knockout stages of the competition.

Since arriving in Donetsk eight years ago, the midfielder has helped them win five league titles, three Ukrainian Cups, two Ukrainian Supers Cups and the Uefa Cup back in 2009.

He has also earned himself five caps for the senior Brazil side.

Now, with Manchester City conceding the title back to neighbours Manchester United before the end of April, we are bound to be hit with numerous big money rumours regarding the Citizen's search to snatch it back. I hope, for City's sake, that they do not sign another limp trio that we have seen in the shape up Jack Rodwell, Scott Sinclair and Maicon.

Although it would be funny, wouldn't it?