Manchester City Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Danilo and Benjamin Mendy

Manchester City are reportedly close to signing Danilo from Real Madrid in the next two days, while the Premier League club are also said to have agreed a world-record deal for a defender by agreeing to pay £52 million for AS Monaco left-back Benjamin Mendy.

Danilo's exit appears to have been confirmed by Real manager Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman told reporters Danilo has left Los Blancos' base in Los Angeles, per BBC Sport's Simon Stone.

Stone's report did note how "the medical is yet to take place and no deal has been signed," but a transfer worth £26.5 million is still expected to go through "within the next 48 hours."

Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports also reported City are close to signing former Porto man Danilo:

If the deal goes through, Stone pointed out how it would clear the way for Aleksandar Kolarov to join Serie A side AS Roma. However, those moves wouldn't complete the Citizens' makeover at full-back.

The Manchester club is also ready to spend a global-record £52 million to bring Mendy to England's top flight from Monaco, according to James Robson of the Manchester Evening News. It would be the most ever paid for a defender after City agreed to Monaco's demands.

Robson also revealed how City and manager Pep Guardiola have been working on a deal for Mendy "since the end of May." As Robson pointed out, Mendy's ability to stabilise the left side of City's back four will provide a major boost for Guardiola, who deployed "Fernandinho and Eliaquim Mangala on the left of defence against Manchester United Thursday - such was his paucity of options."

What the anticipated deals for Danilo and Mendy will do for City is give Guardiola two powerful athletes at both full-back positions. Each player has the pace, strength and technique to raid forward tirelessly and provide the width for a team otherwise designed to overload central areas with playmakers.

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Schemers in the middle are not something in short supply in Guardiola's squad. Pass-masters such as David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Mendy's former Monaco team-mate Bernardo Silva will ensure City boss possession in midfield against any opposition.

What Guardiola's team has missed has been full-backs able to consistently stretch the flanks. Ex-Arsenal pair Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna struggled last season and were released, clearing the way for City's spending spree at the positions this summer.

Guardiola has already signed England international right-back Kyle Walker from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth up to £50 million, per BBC Sport. Walker's arrival poses questions about the potential deal for Danilo.

The latter can play both full-back positions but was most often used on the right by Los Merengues. He could be used in a rotation with Walker as City aim to compete for major honours both domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.

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Danilo's versatility will prove invaluable if he's used to spell both Walker and Mendy. Guardiola may even use the Brazilian as a makeshift centre-back, something he did often with Kolarov during his first year in charge.

What is clear is City are prepared to pay big to fix their defensive issues from last season.