Serie A heavyweights Roma have already started to plan for life after Manchester City target Mehdi Benatia, according to fresh reports in the Italian media.
The towering centre-half is unsettled in the capital following a disagreement over contract talks and is high on Blues boss Manuel Pellegrini’s wishlist.
Il Romanista claims the Giallorossi’s sporting director Walter Sabatini is now lining up several possible replacements in case the Moroccan does depart for the Premier League champions.
It is thought that Roma have set a deadline for the deal to go through. If it is not done by the end of July, City are almost certain to miss out on securing his services.
The hold-up is believed to have been attributed to Pellegrini’s pursuit of Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, who remains his first choice, with Benatia a back-up option.
The Roma man feels betrayed due to broken promised over a lucrative new contract and is anxious to leave the capital before the 2014-15 campaign gets started.
His club values him at £32million and will not cave in to cut-price offers from suitors looking to capitalise on the deterioration in his working relationship with the Italians.
City have already made it clear they are willing to pay Benatia more than £3m per year – almost double his current salary – if they become tired of waiting for Mangala to make up his mind.