Manchester City are weighing up whether to sign Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz on a free, according to reports in the Spanish media.

The 26-year-old has a year left on his contract and there have been claims in Italy that Arsenal may make a bid for the player this summer, with his price tag set between €30m (£26m) and €40m (£35m).

However, if Ruiz doesn’t leave Napoli, and he opts to run down his current deal, Pep Guardiola’s side could look to take advantage of the situation.

After the controversy surrounding Jorginho’s failed move to the Etihad, City no longer have a straight line of communication with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, making any deal this summer almost impossible.

To get around that, the Premier League champions may opt to begin talks with Ruiz directly next January when he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement ahead of a free transfer.