FC Schalke 04 general manager Horst Heldt has revealed the club are on the verge of signing Manchester City defender Matija Nastasic on loan for the rest of the season.
The Serbia international, 21, is currently out of favour at the Etihad Stadium under Manuel Pellegrini, having not featured in an English Premier League fixture in 2014/15.
“We are negotiating back and forth, that’s how it goes,” Heldt told Bild Magazine. “You get closer and closer and in this case we are no longer far apart from each other.
“I am optimistic that we will get this done in the coming days.”
Both Nastasic and winger Scott Sinclair are expected to be sold this month, but Pellegrini has insisted the duo will leave only if the club receive ‘good’ offers.
“They are working with us, Nastasic and Sinclair, without any problem,” Pellegrini said.
“They are part of the squad. We will see if there are good offers for them and for the club. If not, they will work with us here.”
Nastasic, who joined City from Fiorentina in an exchange deal for Stefan Savić in the summer of 2012, is City’s fifth-choice centre-back behind the likes of captain Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Martín Demichelis, and Dedryck Boyata.
Pardew plays down Bolasie exit talk
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has admitted it would take a massive offer for the Eagles to sell highly-rated winger Yannick Bolasie during the January transfer window.
The DR Congo international, 25, has tallied just one goal and three assists in 20 league appearances for the Eagles this term, but his overall performance has been outstanding.
“Like with any player you can never say never, and I learned that at Newcastle, losing Andy Carroll on the last day of the window,” Pardew said.
“So never say never but I think it would take an extraordinary bid to take him away from this football club in the situation we are in. I would be very surprised if any club wanted to make that phone call.”
Palace will host in-form Tottenham in Alan Pardew’s first league match in charge of the club on Saturday.
“It’s important when you’re fighting relegation you don’t hit teams in red hot form and Tottenham are, so it’s not the greatest of starts,” Pardew added.
“They were terrific against Chelsea. The fact the Europa League campaign has closed down has helped them because that’s a huge factor, which we suffered with at Newcastle.
“This is a great period for them and we’re going to have to try to knock them out of their stride.”
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