Manchester City are linked to 18-year-old Atalanta youngster Giorgio Scalvini, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Promising and Versatile

Now in his second season in senior football, 6 foot 4 defender Scalvini has made himself a regular feature for Atalanta, with his development in the Serie A not going "unnoticed" with the likes of Juventus and Manchester City "on his trail."

Scalvini is an appealing asset due to his potential and versatility, with the centre-back also capable of being deployed in midfield - giving a glimpse of his astute ability on the ball.

The Latest: City Interest

According to a report from Corriere dello sport which has been relayed by Sport Witness, Inter Milan have also joined the chase for the defensive starlet, but the piece acknowledges the move would be a "very heavy investment" for the Nerazzurri, whilst it would not be for Manchester City.

The same piece states that Atalanta "would also have to be convinced" as they would "prefer to keep their jewel not only until the end of the season, but also the next."

The Verdict: City should bide their time

With Scalvini's valuation "sailing towards" €30m (£26m), City have a choice to make.

They should sign the starlet and loan him back to Atalanta for a couple of years in what could be the most minimal fee that they could capture the starlet for, other than having to wait for his contract to run down.

At 18-years-old, Scalvini has pushed his way into Italy's national set-up and has three-caps to his name. With that in mind, there is not too much risk considering the price, with the young defender clearly possessing vast amounts of potential.

By purchasing early and loaning him back to the familiar surroundings of Atalanta, City can essentially bide their time to monitor his development and determine whether he is of the expected ilk to join up with this Manchester City side.

Most likely, the versatile yet promising star will be of a standard that Pep will love.

But if not, they can part with the asset for a relatively similar fee depending on the length of his contract.