Manchester City are preparing to offer a new contract to Gabriel Jesus, 90min understands.
The 24-year-old completed his move to City in January 2017 and arrived as a striker, but has rarely been a regular starter, with Sergio Aguero playing up top for most of Pep Guardiola's tenure.
Aguero departed for Barcelona earlier this year, but instead of him becoming the main number nine, Jesus was given a new role by Guardiola out wide.
Jesus has shone in a new role which has seen him create six goals in 12 Premier League starts so far this term, becoming one of City’s most influential players.
He signed his current deal, which has 18-months left to run, in 2018. And City are now ready to open talks with Jesus and his representatives with a view to tying him down to a new long-term deal.
Despite his new role this season, Jesus has admitted he is enjoying playing on the wing and explains that his experience as a striker helps him create chances for others.
"As a striker I like when the wingers put the ball across the box so when I play there I cross the ball all the time,” he told the Manchester Evening News earlier this year.
"I'm trying to get better and better by season. I try to improve, I have to improve always. I have the ambition to be better every day. I have the number but it's normal a striker to have the nine. All my life I play with nine or eleven or seven, sometimes ten. The number is just number. I try to give my best all the time.
"I started to play football as a winger, right, sometimes more on the left. I enjoy more on the right. It's good for me, for the team. I can play in three positions. For me it's perfect. I can help my team and I'm ready, I train all the time, work hard to get a chance. We have a lot of top players who can play good and help the team.”
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Source : 90min