Manchester City transfer news: Zenit St Petersburg make £12.5m bid for Javi Garcia

Spanish midfielder could be sold to comply with FFP

Javi Garcia – 7: Always provided an outlet as a defensive pivot, and never overcomplicating matters when a simple pass would suffice. (Getty Images)

Manchester City could sell holding midfielder Javi Garcia after Russian side Zenit St Petersburg reportedly made a £12.5m bid.

The Spaniard arrived in 2012 for £16m from Benfica but has never established himself as a first-team regular.

He has proved himself to be a useful squad member, playing in both midfield and defence, but the Premier League champions have to trim their squad because of Financial Fair Play rules.

With the arrival of Fernando from Porto, Garcia is now surplus to requirements, according to the Daily Mirror.

City have already seen Joleon Lescott, Jack Rodwell, Costel Pantilimon and Gareth Barry leave the club this summer, with Fernando, Bacary Sagna, Willy Caballero and Frank Lampard arriving.

With City only allowed to play 21 players in this season's Champions League, Manuel Pellegrini will look to trim his squad further.

Pellegrini has said he will only bring in one more player this summer, with Porto centre-back Eliaquim Mangala likely to be that man.

However, because of home-grown quotas, City must have five English or English-trained players, Pellegrini may need to add other Englishmen to his squad.