The Premier League champions are considering moves for Southampton’s Mario Lemina or Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic as potential alternatives to Jorginho.
Sources have indicated City boss Pep Guardiola has identified other midfield options if a deal cannot be reached for the Napoli star, despite advanced talks still continuing.
City denied making a second bid for the midfielder on wednesday with reports saying they had made a fresh offer that could total more than £50million.