Jordan Hugill is reportedly attracting interest from Championship side Nottingham Forest.
The striker, 29, played a significant role in transforming the dressing room atmosphere after relegation from the Premier League but spent the majority of last season behind Teemu Pukki in the pecking order.
Forest are now managed by former City boss Chris Hughton and harbour ambitions of finally ending their long stay in the Championship with promotion. According to Football Insider, the Reds are preparing to test City's resolve with an offer for Hugill.
The report states that Forest are in the market for an experienced goalscorer after they saw Glenn Murray retire. Ex-City striker Lewis Grabban was their top scorer with six goals last season and Hughton is on the search for additional firepower this summer.
Hugill would fit that profile, with Norwich understood to be open for offers for the former West Ham man.
That would leave City with Pukki and young Adam Idah as their only frontline striking options and would push them back into the transfer market for another forward. City are still hoping to complete moves for a central defender, midfielder and attacking player before the window closes in August.
Blackburn's Adam Armstrong is a player City monitored with interest at the start of the window but it is believed that any move for the 24-year-old is now unlikely.
City have added Werder Bremen winger Milot Rashica to their ranks already this summer after Emi Buendia departed for Aston Villa in a club-record deal. The Kosovan international can also operate centrally and has played in that position for club and country in the past.
Hugill joined City last summer from West Ham in a permanent deal worth around £3m, with add-ons taking it closer to £5m.
He made 34 appearances for the Canaries in all competitions, netting on five occasions but was largely used as an option off the bench. Injury problems also hampered his playing time, with a hamstring injury suffered in the FA Cup fixture against Barnsley seeing him sidelined for six matches.
City boss Daniel Farke described him as a key component to the club's successful Championship title-winning campaign.
“A key player for me,” he said. “I don't just rate a player because of his minutes and his impact on the pitch. You don’t win a title or promotion just as 11 players. A leader in our dressing room and one of the main topics why we were promoted.
"He was there with crucial goals, crucial for the spirit within the whole dressing room, and he was crucial to keep the competition high on the other strikers.
"A role model in his behaviour because he works his socks off always in each training session. He is there for his team mates and one of the leading players in our dressing room.
“I'm particularly pleased that we have several of these, and I have to praise my whole group. Yes, maybe an (Emi) Buendia or a Pukki are in the spotlight but it doesn't take anything away that everyone contributed.
"Jordan has overfilled my expectation from before the season started. A top player, a top character and we are all happy to have him.”
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