Akram, who plays for UAE's Al-Ain, claims he received an invitation from the Premiership club and that he will fly to England soon.

"After receiving an invitation to undergo a 10-day trial with Manchester City, Al-Ain's administration has given the green light to Nashat Akram to go ahead and travel to England," the player's web site said in a statement.

"Akram will be heading to England in the upcoming days."

Akram has been linked with Sunderland last summer, but he eventually joined Al-Ain from Saudi Arabia's Al-Shabab.

The 23-year-old has been influential to Iraq's Asian Cup of Nations triumph this year, after which he was voted the continent's third best Player of the Year.

Meanwhile, City boss Sven Goran Eriksson has hinted that new faces will arrive at the City of Manchester Stadium during the January transfer window.