Blues will trigger buy-out clause and offer £250,000-a-week wages to move ahead of PSG and Real Madrid

Manchester City believe they are winning the battle to sign Edinson Cavani.

The Blues will trigger the £52million get-out clause in the Napoli striker’s contract to ensure they beat Real ­Madrid and Paris St.Germain to his signature this ­summer.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentis has said that he will only sell his 23-goal striker to the highest bidder.

And City have moved into pole position after making it clear they will meet the Italian club’s asking price and offer the 26-year-old £250,000-a-week wages.

The potential British record transfer has been ­orchestrated by City sporting director Txiki Begiristain and sanctioned by chief executive Ferran Soriano. The Uruguay ­international is also at the top of manager Roberto Mancini’s wanted list.

 City will embark on a ­summer of investment after failing to mount a defence of the Premier League title.

A move for Schalke’s Greece international ­defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos is well advanced, with the 21-year-old valued at £15m by his club despite his continuing recovery from a knee operation.

And City are planning another raid on the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund ­midfielder Marco Reus. The 23-year-old is contracted until 2017, but he is perfect for City’s plan to play 4-3-3 and the Blues will not baulk at his £25m price tag.