Blues ready to pay £1m on good Knight

CITY are closing in on a £1m deal to sign Ipswich Town youngster Ben Knight.

The left-footed No.10 is regarded as the hottest prospect in Ipswich’s academy and has represented England at Under-15 and Under-16 levels, scoring goals against Spain and Brazil.

Reports claim an agreement has been reached with the Blues - stating Ipswich could have demanded a higher fee, but risked the transfer going to a tribunal and being awarded a lower sum.

The 16-year-old has been with Ipswich since he was eight years old and has been tipped for stardom by former England midfielder Kieron Dyer.

Dyer, who made his name at Ipswich and is now a coach at the club, has previously suggested Knight will go on to surpass his own career achievements and the 39-year-old also likened Knight’s playing style to that of Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi.

Meanwhile, a more high-profile City target, the Napoli midfielder Jorginho, remains in limbo over his prospective move to the Etihad.

The player’s agent, Joao Santos, revealed earlier this week that City and Napoli are still negotiating over a transfer fee.

“City are working to close the deal with Napoli - any moment could be the right one,” Santos said. “The player is in Brazil.

“I’m in my house in England, waiting for a call. When it arrives, I will go to meet the leadership of Manchester City.”