Manchester City are stepping up plans to buy into Spartak Moscow.

City owners City Football Group (CFG) have employed former Rostov sporting director Paul Ashworth to act as intermediary with Spartak's owners.

A source told Championat: "At the moment Ashworth is in Moscow and spends a lot of time at the Spartak academy. An Englishman interviews the employees of the academy and evaluates its effectiveness at the request of CFG."

CFG are in talks with Spartak about buying a 20 per cent stake in the club.

Rostov are the subject of interest of CFG.