According to The Pitch Prospect, Antoine Semenyo’s release clause must come into effect in the first 10 days of the January transfer window.
A number of big Premier League players are interested in triggering Semenyo’s £60m-£65m release clause.
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City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham are all actively looking for January contracts for the Ghana international in a huge transfer battle between the top flight’s biggest clubs.
City had already held talks with Semenyo before the January transfer window opened.
However, The Pitch Prospect understands Liverpool are unlikely to sign Semenyo in January.
It is also believed Arsenal would only be open to a move if they offload a winger next month, although the Gunners are expecting a quiet transfer window.
So it looks like a straight battle between the two Manchester clubs for the Bournemouth star, with Tottenham currently underdogs in the race.
City have given their top rivals a head start by starting talks with Semenyo two weeks before the winter window opens.
Coach Pep Guardiola is currently without wingers Jeremy Doku and Oscar Bobb due to injury, while Omar Marmoush is on AFCON duty with Egypt.
Semenyo will be available throughout the winter after Ghana failed to qualify for the AFCON.
The 25-year-old is the Premier League’s third highest goalscorer this season with eight goals in 16 games.
He signed a new five-year contract with Bournemouth earlier this year and is believed to be calm about his future despite constant speculation.
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Semenyo returned to the scoresheet in the recent 4-4 draw with Manchester United after going eight games without a goal in all competitions.
Another game against Burnley followed on Saturday.
Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola has been forced to fend off questions about Semenyo’s future throughout the season.
In November the Cherries boss said: “Antoine is our player, he will continue to be our player. In January you can ask me about the market in January but at the moment I’m not worried about the next markets.”
“It’s something you know I hate to talk about in August and January when the market is open, but this isn’t one of those times. It’s November.”
“I’m more worried about the situation of the players who will play tomorrow, in the short term, the things that are really important and in January we will talk about, whatever happens, the players we need. But that’s not something I’m worried about today.”
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The Pitch Prospect verdict: Alex Crook (chief football correspondent)
I think the Semenyo situation will be a big topic of conversation. Certainly for the first half of January.
We’ve exclusively revealed that his contract contains a release clause that actually comes into effect in the January transfer window.
There is a threshold, I think around the middle of the month, by which clubs have to activate it.
We know Liverpool are interested. There’s obviously a connection to Richard Hughes – the sporting director who signed Semenyo from Bristol City to Bournemouth in the first place.
Manchester United are certainly in the running too – and Tottenham – although I’d call them underdogs at this stage.