Last Updated: Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:02
Malaga star Isco is close to signing a contract extension that could force Manchester City to double their bid to £30m in January.
Malaga are making a last-ditch bid to protect themselves from a situation where one of a clutch of big-spending clubs simply pays the 20-year-old's £17million buy-out clause when the transfer window re-opens.
City are thought to be just ahead of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus in the race to sign the Spanish international who has been likened to Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas.
City's newly appointed director of football Txiki Begiristain has wasted no time in recommending Isco while boss Roberto Mancini was already a fan, having watched Malaga's midfield star in action against Atletico Madrid this month.
Isco, whose full name is Francisco Roman Alarcon Suarez, scored five goals in 29 starts for Malaga as the middle-eastern backed club qualified for the Champions League.
The 6million euro signing from Valencia has already scored two La Liga and two Champions League goals this season and looks set to be the next star name that Malaga have to sell to balance their books after their backers stopped the cash flow.
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