Alves on brink of signing for Guardiola

Manchester City hope to sign three full-backs before they fly to the United States for the start of their pre-season tour next month but Pep Guardiola is prepared to play a waiting game over Arsenal forward Alexis Sánchez.

Dani Alves could be the first of those through the door, with City aiming to get a deal for the Brazil right-back over the line this week. Alves, 34, is a free agent after terminating his contract with Juventus and is expected to sign at least a two-year deal with City.

City are still haggling with Tottenham Hotspur and Monaco over fees for England right-back Kyle Walker and France left-back Benjamin Mendy but hope to have both players in place before Guardiola and his squad fly to Houston on July 17. City face Manchester United in the International Champions Cup three days later.

Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, has been holding out for up to £50million for Walker, but with the player keen to move to City and Spurs prepared to do a deal, a compromise is expected. City may end up paying around £45million including add-ons.

City have already signed Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva from Monaco for £43.6 million but the French champions have been demanding a similar fee for Mendy, which was significantly more than City wanted to pay. Mendy could end up costing close to the £34.7million City paid Benfica for goalkeeper Ederson Moraes.

Guardiola is thought to be more relaxed about Sánchez and prepared to see how that situation pans out as the summer progresses.