Manchester City are hopeful of reaching an agreement for the 22-year-old forward amid ongoing negotiations between Tottenham and Savinho, with Spurs also working on a separate deal to sign City forward Omar Marmoush.
Tottenham failed in a move for Savinho last summer, but the Brazilian is now expected to complete a transfer to north London, with Marmoush, who joined City from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2025, potentially following him out of the Etihad Stadium.
Elias is viewed by City as a possible replacement for Savinho during what could prove a busy closing stretch of the transfer window. The club have already seen Rodri complete a move to Barcelona this summer, while Tijjani Reijnders has joined Saudi side Al Qadsiah. Nico Gonzalez could also depart before the deadline if Newcastle push ahead with their interest in the midfielder.
City's business is not limited to their forward line. Sources have told ESPN that the club are hopeful of agreeing a deal for Lille's Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi before the window shuts, with negotiations understood to be at an advanced stage.
Manager Enzo Maresca has prioritised strengthening his midfield options after a summer of significant departures, and Bouaddi is regarded as a key target to fill that gap.
City have also shown interest elsewhere in the Premier League, though not every approach has been successful. An enquiry for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton was turned down, with Palace insisting that the England international will not be leaving Selhurst Park this summer regardless of any offer that comes in before the deadline.
Taken together, City's business this window reflects a squad in the middle of a significant reshuffle, with high-profile exits in midfield and attack being balanced by a search for younger replacements as Maresca looks to reshape the team in his own image.
Elliott Anderson, Jeremy Monga and Geronimo Rulli have already arrived at the Etihad this summer, but with Rodri, Reijnders and potentially Nico Gonzalez all departing the midfield, and Savinho and Marmoush both closing in on exits from the attack, City look set for one of their busiest closing stretches of business in recent transfer windows.